Mixing up Words That Sound the Same part 3

Ingenious vs. Ingenuous

Don’t Say: They crafted an ingenuous plan for the takeover.
Say Instead: They crafted an ingenious plan for the takeover.

Here’s Why: These words are virtual opposites. “Ingenu¬ous” means artless or naïve. “Ingenious” means clever and resourceful, often with a dash of trickiness thrown in. The mean¬ing of our sentence here is that these people have come up with a clever plan, not an artless one, so “ingenious” is the word we want. Additional correct examples are:

Her ingenuous remarks were unwelcome at the sophisticated dinner party.

Bill’s ingenious invention won the top prize.

The insecure director avoided the ingenuous critic.


Jibe vs. Jive

Don’t Say: These figures don’t jive.
Say Instead: These figures don’t jibe.

Here’s Why: “Jibe” means to agree, to correspond. “Jive” refers to a kind of music or dance and also the slang term used to describe them, as in “jive talk.” So here we need “jibe.” Additional correct examples are:

He plays jive at a little club downtown.

The details of your story don’t jibe with hers.


Tack vs. Tact

Don’t Say: The editor told Kim to take another tact with her story.
Say Instead: The editor told Kim to take another tack with her story.

Here’s Why: “Tact” means the quality of being adept at dealing with others, particularly where personal feelings are involved. This sentence isn’t about that. “Tack” means a course of direction or policy; in this case, the angle Kim’s story is taking. Here are more correct examples:

It took real tact to correct him without angering him.

Don’t take that tack with Ann if you want your raise.

His lack of tact makes Mr. Stevens a terrible diplomat.

Don’t give up; try another tack first.


Tortuous vs. Torturous

Don’t Say: That dental examination was tortuous.
Say Instead: That dental examination was torturous.

Here’s Why: What a difference a little “r” makes. “Tor¬tuous” means winding, crooked, a complicated path, as in The road across the mountains was tortuous. “Torturous” means full of pain or torture, which is what this poor soul is saying about the visit to the dentist’s. Here’s another correct example of each:

His logic was so tortuous that none of us could follow it.

The test was torturous for those students who hadn’t studied.