504 Common Spelling Errors

access ; approach . gain entrance to . get at
acme ; apex . highest point . peak
acquainted ; familiar . close . intimate . aware
adroit ; alert . clever . ingenious . skillful . adept . dexterous
alleged ; supposed . believed . suspicious . doubtful
ascend ; climb . go up . rise up
asset ; property . possession .  something of value

barrel ; cask . round container
benefited ; profited
bias ; prejudice
bigot ; prejudiced person
cache ; hoard . stash . hiding place
cemetery ; place where dead people are buried
changeable ; fickle . interchangeable . inconstant
circuit ; fixed route . regular route . orbit . course
coerce ; force . compel to do something
colossal ; enormous . gigantic . tremendous . huge
concur ; agree . harmonize . coincide
cope ; struggle successfully . manage
coup ; sudden successful stroke . hit
dearth ; lack . scarcity
debris ; fragment . rubble . wreckage
defendant ; accused
devout ; sincere . pious . reverent
diphtheria ; infectious disease
discern ; distinguish . recognize
dismissal ;  sending away . firing from a position . sack
dissent ; opposition . disagreement . discord . conflict
dupe ; deceive . fool someone
elapse ; pass . go by . slip by
embarrass ; cause unease . cause anxiety .  shame . confuse
existence ; living . state of existing . life
exult ;  be happy . rejoice . be joyful
fatal ; deadly . causing death . destructive . fateful
forfeit ; fine . penalty . loss
frail ; fragile . flimsy . weak . slight . thin . feeble . infirm
frugal ; economical . thrifty
fulfill ; accomplish . complete
grammer ;
guarantee ; security . warranty . assurance
harass ; bother . hassle . torment
hoard ; collect . gather . amass . stockpile
hoax ; trick . deceive . dupe
hosiery ; tockings and socks
inane ; silly . foolish . senseless . empty . void
indispensable ; absolutely necessary . essential . vital
irate ; angry . furious . enraged
jewelry ; ornaments for personal adornment made of precious metals or set with gemstones
junior ; younger person . one having a lower rank or position . new arrival . student in a class which is next below the last year
labeled ; tagged . affixed with a label . named . classified
laudable ; worthy of praise or honor . commendable
lax ; lenient . permissive . loose . not strict
licence ; permit . certificate
lieutenant ; a army officer next in rank below captain . assistant . deputy
lightning ; flash of bright light produced by an electric discharge between clouds or between clouds and the ground
legion ; unit of the Roman army consisting of 3, 000 to 6, 000 soldiers . military unit . army . multitude . mass
lethal ; fatal . deadly . causing death . very harmful . dangerous
liable ; under legal obligation . responsible . prone . susceptible . subject to
medieval ; like the Middle Ages
mortgage ; conditional conveyance of property as for security on a loan . lien
naive ; simple . unsophisticated . unaffected
noise ; loud sound . ruckus
occasionally ; sometimes . now and then . every so often . from time to time
oust ; drive out . expel . evict
pamphlet ; brochure . leaflet
parallel ; equidistant . aligned . even . equal . analogous . similar
perceive ; feel . sense . be aware of . distinguish . discern . see . behold . observe
personnel ; staff . crew . work force
phlegm ; mucus . apathy . indifference
picnicking ; arrange an outdoor meal . eat a meal outdoors
plague ; epidemic . widespread disease . pestilence . nuisance . annoyance . pest
possession ; property . asset . ownership
procedure ; way of performing a task . course of action
puny ; weak . feeble . small . little . trivial . petty
questionnaire ; document containing a list of questions to be answered
quell ; suppress . quash . relieve . ease . soothe
racist ; one who is hateful or intolerant of people of other races
raze ; tear down . demolish . shave away with a knife
realm ;  kingdom . domain . region . area
remembrance ; memory . memento . souvenir
rue ; regret . sorrow . remorse
scissors ;  cut with scissors
seize ; hold . comprehend . understand . confiscate . capture . apprehend
senile ; geriatric . of old age
senior ; older . elder . student in his final year at a school or university
sergeant ; police officer below inspector
siege ; blockade . besiege
sophomore ; second year student at a high school or university
source ; origin .  place from which a river or stream issues
sulphur ; nonmetallic element
superintendent ; supervisor . overseer
surge ; large wave . billow . eruption . spurt . sudden rush
surpass ; exceed .  be greater than . do better than . excel . go beyond
usurp ; seize . take over
vacuum ; void . emptiness . vacuity . electrical device which cleans surfaces by creating air suction
venom ; poisonous fluid of esp. snakes . malignity . virulence . spite
vigil ; keeping awake during the night etc., esp. to keep watch or pray . period of wakefulness during the night
waitress ; woman who serves tables in a restaurant or pub
yield ; crop . harvest . return . produce . income . profit . surrender . give up . concede
yolk ; yellow part of an egg