Do you know what it’s called when two words sound alike, but have different spellings and meanings? One example is a particular pet peeve of mine. I often see this on social media:
“She wasn’t phased at all by seeing the dog up in the tree.”
Oops. (Also, argh!) That word should have been fazed.
“Phased” and “fazed” are homophones. These are words that sound the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings.
Phase is generally used as a noun—think “phases of the moon” or “the gaseous phase of water.” As a verb, it means “to introduce gradually,” as in “to phase in the new rules.”
Faze is a verb meaning “to disconcert.”
Therefore, a person can be fazed, but it would be highly unlikely for a person to be “phased,” except perhaps in some kind of sci-fi tale!
What other homophones can you think of?
By Karen Galle, Editor for TalentMEDIA Services.
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