prescribe vs. proscribe : Commonly confused words | Vocabulary.com
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Commonly Confused Words
prescribe/
proscribe
Warning! These similar sounding words have very different meanings. To prescribe is to recommend and to proscribe is to forbid. One little letter makes a big difference.
Prescribe is the more common word, and it's often used at the doctor's office. When a doctor jots down a prescription, she prescribes a drug to heal the patient. To prescribe also means to recommend something in an official way. Here are some examples of the word used correctly:
"If physicians want to help their patients, they need to prescribe affordable versions of accepted medical interventions." (Forbes)
"We are not centralist to the point where we prescribe what they spend on player wages, transfer fees." (Washington Times)
Leave proscribe to the pros. Proscribe is a rare and more formal word, meaning to forbid something or to demand a stop to it. It's often used in the phrase "a proscribed organization," such as a terrorist group that an official has demanded an end to. Here are some other examples:
"In contrast, laws in some European nations proscribe and even criminalize various forms of 'hate speech.'" (Reuters)
"The Constitution proscribes government discrimination on the basis of race, and state-provided education is no exception." (Washington Post)
If you're tempted to get them mixed up, think of the "e" in "prescribe for me," and the "o" in "Oh no, don't for proscribe."
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Definition:
prescribe
To prescribe is make orders or give directions for something to be done. These days, the word is mainly used by doctors who prescribe medications to take. Continue reading...
Definition:
proscribe
To proscribe something is to forbid or prohibit it, as a school principal might proscribe the use of cell phones in class. Continue reading...
More Commonly Confused Words
abhorrent / aberrant
accept / except
ado / adieu
adopt / adapt
adverse / averse
affect / effect
afflict / inflict
aggravate / irritate
allot / a lot
allowed / aloud
allude / elude
allusion / illusion / delusion
alter / altar
alternate / alternative
ambiguous / ambivalent
amicable / amiable
amoral / immoral
amuse / bemuse
anecdote / antidote
appraise / apprise
ascent / assent
assume / presume
assure / ensure / insure
aural / oral / verbal
aver / avow
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base / bass
bazaar / bizarre
border / boarder
brake / break
breach / breech
bridal / bridle
broach / brooch
callus / callous
cannon / canon
canvas / canvass
capital / capitol
censor / censure
cereal / serial
chord / cord
cite / site / sight
climactic / climatic
complement / compliment
complicit / complacent / complaisant
compose / comprise
conceptional / conceptual / contextual
concurrent / consecutive
confident / confidant(e)
connotation / denotation
connote / denote
conscious / conscience
contemptible / contemptuous
continual / continuous
correlation / corollary
council / counsel
currant / current
decent / descent / dissent
deer / dear
definitely / definitively
demur / demure
desert / dessert
didactic / pedantic
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discomfit / discomfort
discreet / discrete
disillusion / dissolution
disinterested / uninterested
disperse / disburse
dual / duel
economic / economical
elicit / illicit
elusive / illusive
emigrate / immigrate / migrate
eminent / imminent / immanent
empathy / sympathy
endemic / epidemic
entitle / title
entomology / etymology
envelop / envelope
envy / jealousy
epidemic / pandemic
epigram / epigraph
epitaph / epithet
especially / specially
exalt / exult
exercise / exorcise
expedient / expeditious
extant / extent
facetious / factious / fatuous
factious / fractious
faint / feint
farther / further
fawn / faun
faze / phase
ferment / foment
fictional / fictitious / fictive
figuratively / literally
flair / flare
flaunt / flout
flounder / founder
font / fount
formerly / formally
formidable / formative
fortunate / fortuitous
gambit / gamut
gibe / jibe
gig / jig
gorilla / guerrilla
grisly / gristly / grizzly
hale / hail
healthful / healthy
hero / protagonist
hew / hue
historic / historical
hoard / horde
homonym / homophone / homograph
hone / home
hostile / hostel
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indeterminate / indeterminable
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insidious / invidious
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mantle / mantel
marital / martial
maximal / maximum
mean / median / average
medal / meddle / mettle
metaphor / simile
moral / morale
morbid / moribund
muscle / mussel
nauseated / nauseous
naval / navel
objective / subjective
optimistic / pessimistic
overdue / overdo
palate / palette / pallet
palmed off / pawned off
paradox / oxymoron
parameter / perimeter
parody / parity
peak / peek / pique
peddle / pedal / petal
persecute / prosecute
personal / personnel
pitiable / pitiful / piteous / pitiless
plain / plane
pore / pour
practical / practicable
pragmatic / dogmatic
precede / proceed
precedent / president
predominate / predominant
premier / premiere
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pretentious / portentous
principal / principle
prophecy / prophesy
prophet / profit
prostate / prostrate
quote / quotation
rebut / refute
regrettably / regretfully
reluctant / reticent
respectfully / respectively
sac / sack
scrimp / skimp
sensor / censor / censer
sensual / sensuous
simple / simplistic
slight / sleight
stationary / stationery
statue / statute
steal / steel
than / then
that / which
their / there / they're
tortuous / torturous
troop / troupe
turbid / turgid
unconscionable / unconscious
undo / undue
unexceptional / unexceptionable
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venal / venial
veracious / voracious
wave / waive
weather / whether / wether
who / whom
who's / whose
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your / you're
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