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What words annoy you when used wrong or people don't know the meaning of?

(233 Posts)
CrazyUSA Tue 07-Jul-26 17:35:06

For example your instead of you're.

Grandma70s Wed 08-Jul-26 09:18:43

Infer and imply.

Cabbie21 Wed 08-Jul-26 09:31:50

Being really pedantic, the OP not only used ‘what’ and ‘wrong’ incorrectly, but also ended with a preposition.

In speech, I tolerate anything, reluctantly, but I expect written text to be correct. Sadly, I am often disappointed.

My list is too long to write, but poor grammar annoys me more than misuse of vocabulary.
The worst offence has to be ‘ would of’ ‘ should of’ etc.
I am a retired language teacher.

Bodach Wed 08-Jul-26 09:38:33

'Uninterested' and 'disinterested'.

MaizieD Wed 08-Jul-26 10:04:11

'Utilise' instead of 'use'.

'Convince' when the word should be 'persuade'.

'Alternate' when it should be 'alternative''

'ancestors' used instead of 'descendants'

And many more, I'm afraid..

Nannee49 Wed 08-Jul-26 10:16:33

No Cossy you're not dim at all, font has fallen into common usage but it is completely wrong to refer to the design of letters in an alphabet as a font.

A font is merely an adaptation of a lettering's design not the name of the original design itself.

For instance, Arial is the name of the original design of letter, Arial bold, say, is just a adaptation of Arial and not a typeface in itself because it's been adapted from the original design.

A font can only be part of a typeface it can't stand alone.

That's why, when someone is referring to different styles of lettering, to say "all the different fonts" is complete nonsense as it would be all the same just thinner or fatter, no different styles at all.

LaCrepescule Wed 08-Jul-26 10:18:11

Pacific instead of specific.

Primrose53 Wed 08-Jul-26 10:30:42

Far more things to worry about than getting annoyed about how other people get words wrong.

batshizzle4 Wed 08-Jul-26 10:34:38

Yous instead of you. 🤬

Juniper1 Wed 08-Jul-26 13:40:51

Used wrongly, not used wrong

coast35 Wed 08-Jul-26 13:42:47

I agree BlueBelle.

Grays Wed 08-Jul-26 13:43:06

Alex Scott saying Congradalations

SaxonGrace Wed 08-Jul-26 13:44:37

So at the beginning of each sentence, the very common ‘like’ seems to still be popular, defiantly instead of definitely and one used by those posting on caravan and camping sites, birth instead of berth. I could ramble on for hours on this subject.

Belleringer Wed 08-Jul-26 13:45:08

Likely instead of probably

ordinarygirl Wed 08-Jul-26 13:45:45

I've noticed that the younger generation will say the word LIKE every other word. Why?
I dislike the spelling of jail when it is gaol - unless you are American
some people will say hung instead of hanged ( I was told that a person is hanged and picture is hung)

Lilyflower Wed 08-Jul-26 13:48:14

Disinterested instead of uninterested.

Disinterested- objective.
Uninterested - of no interest.

Now that IS pedantic. Sorry.

Cabowich Wed 08-Jul-26 13:48:55

loose instead of lose

Adele21 Wed 08-Jul-26 13:54:51

Of instead of have
For example “should of” instead of “should have”

RSALLAN2002 Wed 08-Jul-26 13:58:21

What's wrong with asking what words one uses wrong? Even BBC gets Febuary wrong.

missdeke Wed 08-Jul-26 13:59:21

People saying very fun, it's just wrong, it should be a lot of fun.

Wheniwasyourage Wed 08-Jul-26 14:01:12

Mixing up 'may' and 'might', which happens in quite a few novels which I have been reading recently. It jars when a story which has been bumbling along happily in the past tense suddenly has a 'may' in the present tense.

10-year anniversary instead of 10th anniversary.

Patsytaylor Wed 08-Jul-26 14:01:38

Their/there
They was

RSALLAN2002 Wed 08-Jul-26 14:08:57

100% "Try and" rather than "Try to", Press Corpse.

MickyD Wed 08-Jul-26 14:11:53

I’ve seen written on social media so many times the phrase “I seen it” instead of either “I saw it” or “I’ve seen it”.

MickyD Wed 08-Jul-26 14:13:25

“I’ve had an invite” instead of invitation.

orly Wed 08-Jul-26 14:20:01

When American numbskulls like Trump say "aluminum" instead of "aluminium"