Confused Words Exercise (447)

Select the correct missing word for each sentence.

  • The artist dabbed an assortment of paints onto her ________.

  • She hoped he wouldn’t _______ her for operating a motor vehicle without a driver’s license.

  • We are in _________ danger of losing our accreditation.

  • The clock ticked off the seconds with a __________ beat.

  • I tried to ______ that the error would not be replicated.

Answers and Explanations

1. The artist dabbed an assortment of paints onto her palette.

pallet: a wooden platform. "The bricks were stacked onto a pallet for shipping."
palate: taste, or the roof of the mouth. "The hot soup burned her palate."
palette: a wooden board for mixing paints, or a range of colors. "The palette of his paintings tends toward the cool colors."

2. She hoped he wouldn’t cite her for operating a motor vehicle without a driver’s license.

cite: quote, mention, or recall, or to commend or penalize. "They voted to cite him for valorous conduct."
sight: see, observe, or aim. "Around the next curve, you will sight an abandoned cabin."
site: locate. "We chose to site the house away from the road."

3. We are in imminent danger of losing our accreditation.

eminent: distinguished. "She noticed an eminent-looking gentleman standing near the doorway."
imminent: about to happen. "The deadline is imminent, so we must finish soon."
immanent: existing, within one’s knowledge or experience. "Is mercy an immanent virtue, or is it acquired?"

4. The clock ticked off the seconds with a continuous beat.

contiguous: immediately adjacent. "Mount Whitney is the highest peak in the contiguous United States (that is, excluding Alaska and Hawaii)."
continual: happening repeatedly or without interruption. "We were subjected to continual interruptions."
continuous: happening without interruption. "The roar of the continuous barrage of cannon fire was nearly unbearable."

5. I tried to ensure that the error would not be replicated.

assure: dispel doubt or make certain. "I assure you that I would have prevented the incident if I could."
ensure: guarantee. "Mary did everything she could to ensure that the event would go off smoothly."
insure: arrange for compensation, or protect. "She plans to insure her jewelry with a million-dollar policy."

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