Due to the size of the English language – the number of words exceeds 800,000 – it is quite easy to confuse the meanings of and misuse so many of the words that sound or appear the same. This is particularly true if English is not your native tongue.
In addition, there are numerous words used by lawyers – legal and otherwise – that must be used precisely, particularly in the legal context where ambiguity and misunderstanding are not welcome.
Below is a list of commonly confused terms used in Legal English.
| accede | to adhere to an agreement; become party to a contract |
| exceed | to go beyond; surpass |
| accept | to receive |
| except | to exclude |
| accord | to agree; an agreement |
| according | in accordance with |
| accounting | maintaining and auditing financial records and reports |
| bookkeeping | recording of transactions |
| adherence | compliance with |
| adhesion (contracts) | one-sided agreement |
| administrator | person distributing assets of an estate appointed by a court |
| executor | person distributing assets of an estate named in a will |
| adverse | contrary to |
| averse | disinclined; unwilling |
| advise | verb |
| advice | noun |
| affect | to influence, to change |
| effect | to accomplish (verb); a result (noun) |
| allege | declaring something to be true before proven |
| contend | state of position |
| allot | to give out |
| a lot | many |
| all ready | entirely ready or finished |
| already | something has occurred |
| all right | the correct form |
| alright | no such spelling |
| all together | forming a group |
| altogether | entirely |
| allude | to suggest indirectly |
| elude | avoid or escape |
| allusion | indirect mention |
| illusion | a deception |
| alternately | in turn; one after the other |
| alternatively | on the other hand |
| amend | to add to or modify |
| emend | to make corrections |
| amount | the total referring to number |
| number | refers to things counted |
| quantity | refers to things measured |
| ascent | climb |
| assent | agreement |
| attain | accomplish |
| obtain | to acquire |
| benefactor | one providing a gift |
| beneficiary | one who receives a gift |
| beside | next to something |
| besides | in addition to |
| biannual | twice a year, semi-annual |
| biennial | every two years |
| capital | the seat of government, money invested in a business |
| capitol | a building in which a legislative body meets |
| casual | by chance/informal |
| causal | relating to cause |
| cede | to give up |
| secede | withdrawal from |
| censure | criticise |
| censor | forbid public distribution |
| cession | to give up |
| session | a meeting |
| cite | to summon, to quote, to refer |
| sight | a view;something seen |
| site | a place |
| collaborate | co-operate with |
| corroborate | to confirm |
| complement | to complete |
| compliment | to praise |
| condemn | pass judgment |
| contemn | show contempt |
| confident | to be assured |
| confidant | a person in whom one confides |
| connote | suggests |
| denotes | means |
| contemporary | belonging to the present |
| contemporaneous | occurring at the same time |
| continual | recurring |
| continuous | ongoing |
| counsel | advisor |
| council | an organisation |
| device | noun |
| devise | verb |
| discrete | a separate part |
| discreet | modest or restrained |
| disinterested | neutral |
| uninterested | not interested |
| disqualify | exclude; to render unfit |
| unqualified | without qualifications |
| disperse | scatter |
| disburse | pay out |
| economic | pertaining to money |
| economical | good value for one’s money; inexpensive |
| emerge | to rise from; to come into view |
| immerge | to plunge into; to immerse |
| emigration | moving from a country |
| immigration | moving into a country |
| eminent | famous or respected |
| immanent | inherent or intrinsic |
| imminent | about to take place |
| envelop | to put a covering about; surround |
| envelope | a wrapper |
| evoke | call forth |
| invoke | cite as an authority or ask for help |
| explicit | detailed |
| implicit | in the nature of something |
| forbear | to refrain |
| forebear | ancestor |
| forgo | to waive |
| forego | to go before |
| guarantor | person liable upon the default of the principal |
| surety | person liable on par with the principal |
| hypothesise | forming hypothesis |
| hypothecate | pledge |
| immoral | evil |
| amoral | without morals |
| imply | to mean or suggest (a speaker implies) |
| infer | to conclude or assume (a hearer infers) |
| incidence | rate of occurrence |
| incident | event |
| ingenious | inventive; clever |
| ingenuous | trusting; frank, naïve |
| instance | a case or example of something |
| instants | moments of time |
| interment | burial |
| internment | confinement |
| lay | to set down |
| lie | to recline |
| libel | printed falsehood |
| slander | spoken falsehood |
| malfeasance | wrongful |
| misfeasance | incorrect |
| observation | perception |
| observance | adherence to |
| ordinance | a law |
| ordnance | military supplies |
| overdo | to do too much |
| overdue | past due; late |
| partially | to some degree |
| partly | in part |
| personal | Individual; private |
| personnel | the staff of an organization |
| persecute | oppress |
| prosecute | bring criminal charges |
| practical | convenient; sensible, not theoretical |
| practicable | capable of being done |
| precede | to go before or in front of |
| proceed | to begin |
| precedent | guidance |
| precedence | priority |
| prescribe | to order |
| proscribe | to forbid |
| regardless | without regard |
| irregardless | not a word |
| stationary | not moving |
| stationery | writing material |
| tantamount | equivalent to value, meaning, or effect |
| paramount | highest in rank |
| unquestionable | undeniable |
| unquestioned | that which has not been questioned |
| waiver | to give up a claim or right |
| waver | to hesitate |
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One of the common mistakes is when people use lose instead of loose, vice versa .