Found 88 articles starting with O:

obdurate - vocabulary

adjective
Unmoved by pity, persuasion, or tender feelings; stubborn, unyielding; resistant to moral influence. She stood with her bright angry eyes confronting the wide stare, and the set face; and soft...

obedience - correct spelling

obedience - noun
Example: The general demanded obedience from the soldiers....

obedient - correct spelling

obedient - adjective
Example: The obedient guide dog waited for the light to change....

object

The grammatical word object refers to several of the main functions of nouns (and pronouns
). A noun can serve as the direct object of a transi...

Object Complement

Complement is the word, phrase or clause that adds additional meaning to a word of a sentence. Just like the...

object complement

A complement is a word or group of words that completes the action or state of being expressed by the verb. A subject complement typically follows the verb to be
 or ...

object of a preposition

One of the major roles of the noun or pronoun is the object of the preposition. When a noun or pronoun combines with a preposition, it forms a prepositional phrase, which ...

Objective Case

In English grammar, a noun or any part of speech exist in one case or another. A case is referred to as mode...

objective case

The personal pronouns (and the relative or interrogative pronoun who) exhibit case. The case of a pronoun reveals how the noun it replaces w...

Objective Case of Pronouns

Just Between You and MeA reminder. Whenever a pronoun serves as the object of a preposition, it must appear in the objective case.So please heed this advice from Henry Fowler: After a...

Obligated vs. Obliged

Obliged" is an old word in the English vocabulary, originating from the verb "to oblige", used to express the past tense or past participle of the initial action of forcing somebody to do something. "Obligated", on the other hand, is built as a regul...

obsequious - vocabulary

adjective
Showing a servile or fawning readiness to fall in with the wishes or will of another; overly deferential. What guest at Dives’s table can pass the familiar house without a sigh?—the familiar h...

obsolescent vs. obsolete

Something which is obsolescent is dropping out of use but is not yet entirely gone, while something which is obsolete has completely disappeared from use....

obstacle - correct spelling

obstacle - noun
Example: The obstacle in the right lane diverted the traffic....

obstinate - vocabulary

adjective
Stubbornly or firmly adhering to one’s own view, purpose, or opinion; unyielding in attitude; inflexible persistence, as in obstinate advocacy for higher taxes; not easily controlled, as in obsti...

obstreperous - vocabulary

adjective
Resisting restraint or control in a difficult manner; unruly; boisterous, noisy, clamorous. A lunatic may be “soothed,”... for a time, but in the end, he is very apt to become obstrepe...

Obtain vs. Attain

With “obtain” and “attain”, confusions or doubts are not about their spellings. It’s quite easy to distinguish these verbs, as they are distinct from every point of view. Still, the pair of words is a great example of common confusion and misundersta...

obtuse - vocabulary

adjective
Not alert or quick in perception or feeling; dull; not observant; not sharp or pointed, blunt in form. It is because the public are a mass—inert, obtuse, and passive—that they...

obviate - vocabulary

verb
To anticipate, eliminate, or prevent difficulties by effective measures, as in to obviate the risk of injury. The Internet, on the other hand, not only creates niche communities—of young people...

occasion - correct spelling

occasion - noun and verb
Example: The party will be quite an occasion. noun
Example: ...

occasional - correct spelling

occasional - adjective
Example: She enjoys an occasional glass of white wine....

occasionally - correct spelling

occasionally - adverb
Grammar.com's section on the Parts of Speech discusses the demise of -ly adverbs. Click here ...

occur - correct spelling

occur - verb
Example: The sale will occur as soon as you meet the offer....

occurred - correct spelling

occurred - verb (past tense and past participle of the verb occur)  Not occured.Example: Th...

occurrence - correct spelling

occurrence - noun
Not occurence.Example: This unexpected occurrence troubled him greatly....

ocean - correct spelling

ocean - noun
Example: She sailed across the ocean in her yacht....

Octopi vs. Octopuses

How simple is it to identify the correct form of the plural of a word, in a rich vocabulary where there are plenty of rules regarding word formation, plural formation etc.? To get more specific, when referring to more than one "octopus", which is the...

Odd vs. Odds

Odd vs. Odds ...

Of vs. Off

It may be confusing and hard to know when to use "of" and when to use "off" in your writing. Frankly speaking, there is actually...

Offence vs. Offense

The team had troubles with their offense because they key player was injured. ...

Offense vs. Offence

Is there any notable difference between “offense” and “offence”? Some might think that it’s the same situation as “advise” and “advice”, that one is the verb and the other is the noun. Others already know for sure that there is no verb such as “offen...

Offer vs. Offering

If "offer" and "offering" are confusing and causing you to question their accuracy in several phrases, then this article will certainly help you clarify some essential aspects about these words. Check the explanations below and r...

Office vs. Officer

Office vs. OfficerTheir similar spellings aside, "office" and "officer" have another key aspect in common: they both function as nouns, in any context or phrase. This means that it’s even harder to spot the difference between them...

official - correct spelling

official - adjective and noun
Example: The official version differed from the newspaper account. ...

officious - vocabulary

adjective
Intermeddling with what is not one's concern; overly aggressive in offering one’s unwanted and unrequested services. The government is huge, stupid, greedy and makes nosy, officious...

Oftentimes vs. Often Times

Frequently occurring events can also be described as happening often. Can it also be said they are happening oftentimes? While both the words are adverbs, only often can be written before and after a verb. That makes often the modern, smaller, useful...

Older vs. Elder

Sometime back, we wrote an article about oldest vs eldest. On similar lines, today let us explore the comparative version – older vs elder.Usually to talk about 2 or more things, we use old or older – say the pot is older than you...

Oldest vs. Eldest

Eldest...

omission - correct spelling

omission - noun
Example: The omission in the annual report caused the stock to fall....

omit - correct spelling

omit - verb
Example: You may omit these items from the application....

omitted - correct spelling

omitted - verb (past tense and past participle of the verb omit)  Not omited.Example: She ...

omniscience, omniscient - vocabulary

adjective
Omniscient: having unlimited or infinite knowledge.noun
Omniscience: unlimited or infinite knowledge. Philip felt that he ought to...

On Accident vs. By Accident

By accident...The correct phrase (adverb) to use traditionally, is: ‘by accident’. It means by mistake or something that’s done without the intention of doing it. For example, “she spilled the milk by accident.” We can also use the w...

On Board vs. Onboard

Have you ever wondered if you are on board or onboard a train or a plane? What about the time you agreed to help your friend carry out a crazy plan? Are you on board with his crazy idea or onboard? The answer is same for both questions as even though...

On, In, At the time

In time When you do something in the last moment, you are just in time...

once - correct spelling

once - adverb, adjective, subordinating conjunction, and noun
Example: The ...

onerous - vocabulary

adjective
Burdensome, oppressive, troublesome. We have the means to change the laws we find unjust or onerous. We cannot, as citizens, pick and choose the laws we will or will not obey....

Oneself vs. One’s Self

Oneself vs. One's self Some English words can be very tricky, because they sound and are spelled almost id...

Online vs. On-Line

Some words evolve – or change – over time. So what should you do when you have to choose between two words, meaning the same thing, written similarly, but different because they come from different time periods? Is it the older version that remain...

online, on-line - correct spelling

online, on-line - adjective and adverb
Spelled either online or on-line. The single-word spelling is gaining ground.Here’s a usage note from ...

only

Garner Oxford at p. 239 describes only as “the most frequently misplaced of all English words.” You should put only immediately before the word you intend to limit. The greater the distance...

Only If vs. If Only

Only If“You fail only if you stop writing.” -Ray BradburyLet’s start our exploration by separating the words only and if....

Only One State, e.g., Unique

Please notice that some adjectives have only one state, the positive state. Put another way, some adjectives cannot display the degrees shown by the comparative and the superlative states or through further modification by adverbs like very,...

Onto vs. On to

Onto vs. On to: Navigating Prepositions in Language Understanding the nuances of prepositions is crucial for precise communication. "Onto" and "on to" are two expressions that are often confused. This article aims to clarify the distincti...

onus - vocabulary

noun
A difficult burden, task, or responsibility. In law, the word onus refers to the burden of proof, as in The onus is on the plaintiff to prove the theory of the case. He propo...

operate - correct spelling

operate - verb
Example: His car does not operate properly....

opinion - correct spelling

opinion - noun
Example: Public opinion will determine the election results....

opponent - correct spelling

opponent - noun
Example: Her opponent used negative advertising....

opportune - correct spelling

opportune - adjective
Example: Now is an opportune time to buy gold....

opportunity - correct spelling

opportunity - noun
Example: He took advantage of the opportunity and invested in the project....

oppression - correct spelling

oppression - noun
Example: The oppression of the dictator caused the people to flee....

opprobrium - vocabulary

noun
The disgrace or reproach incurred by outrageous or shameful conduct; ignominy. Yahoo has suffered a good deal of opprobrium since it was revealed last month that, when [Chinese] governm...

Optimal vs. Optimum

Optimal vs. Optimum: Navigating Distinctions in Usage Understanding the differences between "optimal" and "optimum" involves recognizing variations in usage and preference. This article aims to clarify the distinctions between "optimal" a...

optimism - correct spelling

optimism - noun
Example: His optimism and positive approach impressed his coworkers....

optimist - correct spelling

optimist - noun
Example: Always the optimist, the CEO predicted higher earnings....

optimistic - correct spelling

optimistic - adjective
Example: We are optimistic about a favorable outcome....

or

Don’t hesitate to start a sentence with Or. It’s a coordinating conjunction, and great writers have been starting sentences with conjunctions for hundr...

Or vs Orwith

"Or" and "orwith" may seem very similar at first; consider these two sentences: "The steak comes with beans or rice." and "The steak comes with beans orwith rice.".They mean the same thing... right? No.An imp...

oral, verbal - vocabulary

adjective
Oral: uttered by the mouth, as in oral testimony; using or transmitted by speech, as in oral methods of teaching languages; involving the mouth, as in the oral ...

orchestra - correct spelling

orchestra - noun
Example: The orchestra performed works of Mozart....

ordinarily - correct spelling

ordinarily - adverb
Grammar.com's section on the Parts of Speech discusses the demise of -ly adverbs. Click here fo...

Organize vs. Organise

They hired a professional to help organize their wedding. His office is a mess. He needs someone to help him or...

origin - correct spelling

origin - noun
Example: Darwin studied the origin of the species....

original - correct spelling

original - adjective and noun
Example: The original work of art sold at auction. adjective...

oscillate - correct spelling

oscillate - verb
Example: The court tends to oscillate between conservative and liberal views....

Osmosis vs. Diffusion

The terms osmosis and diffusion are often used interchangeably in casual conversation, but they refer to distinct scientific processes, particularly in the fields of biology and chemistry. This essay explores the ...

ostracize - vocabulary

verb
To exclude, by general agreement, from friendship, society, conversation, or privileges, as in His friends ostracized him after the scandal broke. Even after this skirmish, Democrats are unlike...

Other One-Word Adjectives

Adjectives became a recognized part of speech in the 1700s. They belong to a larger category, which grammarians sometimes use to describe words and groups of words: Adjectives (and adverbs) are called modifiers. Above we saw those little wor...

ought - correct spelling

ought - auxiliary verb (used with to)  Example: He ought to help his staff at night....

ounce - correct spelling

ounce - noun
Example: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” —Benjamin Franklin....

Our chapter title should read…

So our chapter title read like this: “Bad habits will effect your writing.”But now you know: When “effect” acts as a verb, it means “produce” or “result in.” H...

Our chapter title should thus read…

The title of the chapter read: “Here’s the principle reason he flunked the course.”But now you know that “principle” primarily means “rule.” So we fix it like ...

outrageous - correct spelling

outrageous - adjective
Example: His outrageous behavior offended everyone....

overcoat - correct spelling

overcoat - noun
Example: Button up your overcoat, When the wind is free, Take good care of yourself, You belong to me! —DeSylva,...

Overdo vs. Overdue

Ram is advised by his doctor not to overdo bicep exercises because of his fractured arm. ...

Override vs Overwrite

Override Override means to add to or enhance something apart from its existing behaviour. It is used very commonly in programming languages. For example, you have generic procedures and rules that all the employees of ...

overrun - correct spelling

overrun - verb and noun
Example: The looting hordes tried to overrun the country. verb...

Overusing “Like” Threatens Your Career

Consider the Views of the Experts.New Fowler By the mid-20c., however, [the use of like] as an incoherent and prevalent filler had reached the proportions of an epidemic, and...