A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
- Macaron vs. macaroonA macaron is a sandwichlike French confection. A macaroon is a light cookie often containing almonds or coconut.
- Macintosh, mackintosh, McIntoshMacintosh: an Apple computer. Mackintosh: a stye of raincoat. McIntosh: a North American red apple.
- Maddening vs. maddingThe traditional form of the idiom is madding crowd.
- Magnate vs. magnetMagnate: a powerful person in a business or industry. Magnet: an object with a magnetic field.
- Magnum opusa great achievement, especially an artistic one, and especially the greatest work of someone's artistic career.
- Make do vs. make dueMake do is the standard form.
- Make hay1. short for make hay while the sun shines, referring to the wisdom of taking advantage of opportunities before they go away; 2. to turn (something) to one's advantage.
- Maleficent vs. malevolentMalevolent: ill-willed without action. Maleficent: ill-willed with action.
- Mancessionan unfortunate neologism referring to the recession's especial effects on men.
- Maneuver vs. manoeuvremaneuver in the U.S.; manoeuvre everywhere else.
- Mantel vs. mantleMantle: 1. a loose, sleeveless coat or cloak; 2. something that covers; 3. the layer of the Earth between the crust and the core; 4. the cerebral cortex. Mantel: an ornamental shelf above a fireplace.
- Many vs. muchMany modifies countable nouns. Much modifies uncountable nouns.
- Marinade vs. marinateMarinade: a liquid mixture in which meat is soaked before cooking. Marinate: to soak meat in marinade.
- Marry vs. merryMarry: 1. to become someone's husband or wife; 2. to officiate a marriage ceremony. Merry: jolly or festive.
- Marshal vs. martialMartial: of or relating to war or the military. Marshal: 1. a person holding one of various official positions; 2. to enlist, arrange, organize, or gather (especially resources or military personnel).
- Masterful vs. masterlyHistorically they have differed, but today they both mean with virtuosic skill.
- Materiel vs. materialMaterial: stuff: Materiel: military stuff.
- Math vs. mathsMath in North America; maths everywhere else.
- Maul vs. mullMaul: 1. to injure by beating; 2. to lacerate; 3. a heavy hammer. Mull: to ponder.
- Mayonnaise vs. mayonaiseMayonnaise is the standard spelling.
- Mea culpaan elaborate and apparently heartfelt apology.
- Meager vs. meagremeager in the U.S.; meagre everywhere else.
- Mealy-mouthedtending to say things in indirect, evasive, or deceptive ways.
- MeansIt can be either singular or plural, depending on context.
- Medal, meddle, metal, mettleMedal: a piece of metal given as an award. Metal: the category of hard, shiny elements. Mettle: courage or quality of character. Meddle: to intrude on another's affairs.
- Media vs. mediumsBoth plurals are commonly used, though each tends to appear more often in certain uses.
- Mediator vs. moderatorMediator: one who helps resolve a dispute. Moderator: one who presides over a discussion.
- Melted vs. moltenBoth are past-tense and past-participial inflections of melt, but molten is usually reserved for metals and minerals.
- Memento moria reminder of mortality.
- Menscha decent person with many good qualities.
- MetaToday, the prefix usually means about itself, and it doubles as a standalone adjective.
- Metaphoric vs. metaphoricalThe longer form is preferred.
- Meteoroid, meteor, meteorite (and meteoric)Meteoroids are in space. Meteors are in earth's atmosphere. Meteorites hit the ground.
- Meter vs. metreFor units of measurement, it's meter in the U.S. and metre outside the U.S. Measuring devices are spelled meter everywhere.
- Methinksit seems to me.
- Mic vs. mikeThe abbreviation of microphone is not yet settled.
- Mice vs. mousesMice is more common even for the computing device.
- Midrift (midriff)Midrift is a misspelling.
- Milieua particular social environment.
- Minima vs. minimumsminima in science and mathematics; minimums in general usage.
- Minuscule vs. minisculeThe original has the u. The form with the i is a rapidly conventionalizing misspelling.
- Minutia, minutiaeMinutia is traditionally singular, and minutiae is its plural.
- Mirandizeto inform an arrested suspect of his or her right to silence and legal counsel.
- Mischievous vs. mischieviousMischievous is the standard spelling.
- Misinformed vs. uninformedMisinformed = based on bad information. Uninformed = based on inadequate information.
- Misnomer1. a name that gives a misleading impression; 2. a mistake in naming something.
- Modeling vs. modellingmodeled and modeling in the U.S.; modelled and modelling everywhere else.
- ModernIt may sometimes bear unwanted 20th-century-related connotations.
- Modus operandi (m.o, MO)a routine way of doing something.
- Mold vs. mouldWhatever the sense, the word is spelled mold in the U.S. and mould everywhere else.
- Mollusc vs. molluskmollusk in North America; mollusc outside North America.
- Mollycoddleto be overprotective or overindulgent toward.
- Molt vs. moultmolt in the U.S.; moult everywhere else.
- Momentarily1. briefly; 2. in a moment.
- Money-grabbing vs. money-grubbingBoth describe people who greedily seek money at every opportunity.
- Moot vs. muteMoot: 1. subject to debate; 2. of no importance or merely hypothetical. Mute: silent.
- Morays vs. moresMorays: eels. Mores: shared habits and values.
- MoresoThe two-word form is still safer.
- Mothballto make inactive or put in storage.
- Mother lodean abundant source of something.
- Moustache vs. mustache (vs. mustachio)mustache in the U.S.; moustache everywhere else. A mustachio is an especially luxuriant mustache.
- Movable vs. moveableMovable is preferred everywhere, but moveable is a common variant.
- Mowed vs. mownMowed is usually the past tense, and mown is usually the past-participial adjective.
- MuchlyIt can always give way to much, which works as an adverb.
- Mucous vs. mucusMucus is a noun. Mucous is an adjective.
- Multitaskto perform multiple tasks as one.
- Murderers' rowan exceptionally intimidating group of people or things. It originally described a formidable 1920s New York Yankees lineup.
- Must of (must've)It's usually a misspelling of must've.
- MuumuuIt prevails over all alternative spellings by a large margin.
- MyriadUsing it as an adjective is usually more concise than using it as a noun.
