The words rational (adjective) and rationale (noun) may look and even sound a bit alike, but their meanings are quite different. Rational has almost the same meaning as logical. In fact, rational and logical are interchangeable. However, logical implies the rules of logic, while rational can simply mean wise: Mary always made rational choices, never […]

These two words have related but different meanings—and grammar. Raucous is an adjective meaning “loud, active, and out of control”—like a group of children playing or a college party. Ruckus has essentially the same meaning as raucous, but is a noun—it refers to a disturbance or commotion: The college party was so raucous that the […]

Both of these nouns refer to deceptions—not necessarily falsehoods, but rather, misleading impressions, especially concerning reasons and intentions. A pretext is a false reason, stated or implied: She said that she was going home because she was sick, but he knew that was only a pretext; really she just didn’t like him. Russia claimed that […]

The noun prophecy is a prediction—a statement of what will happen in the future, traditionally from a spiritual, or mystical source, such as the Bible, or a holy person, such as a priestess, monk, or prophet. Prophecies are understood to come from a supernatural source such as a deity, rather than science or reason. The verb […]

These nouns have related but very different meanings. Prudent simply means careful, in a wise way—wisely cautious. It has very positive connotations: It is prudent to save money for a rainy day. Prudish has a culture-specific meaning—not all cultures have prudishness. Prudish means “avoiding and upset by discussions, images, or behaviors related to sex.” A […]