Misused Words That Sound Smart (But Aren’t)

Because “irregardless” doesn’t make you sound smarter—just confused.

Ever dropped a big word in conversation to sound polished, only to have a grammar nerd (lovingly) correct you? We've all been there. Some words sound impressive but are secretly either made up, misused, or just… wrong. Let’s clear a few of them up so you can sound smart and be right.

1. Irregardless

❌ Wrong: “Irregardless of what she said, I’m going.”
✅ Better: “Regardless of what she said, I’m going.”

Why it’s wrong: “Irregardless” is a double negative (ir- + -less). It means not without regard, which logically circles back to with regard—aka the opposite of what you meant. It’s been used so often that it’s made its way into some dictionaries with a warning label, but stick with “regardless.”

2. Literally

❌ Wrong: “I literally died of embarrassment.”
✅ Better: “I was so embarrassed I wanted to disappear.”

Why it’s wrong: “Literally” means actually, in a literal sense. Using it for emphasis when you don’t mean something literally creates confusion (and occasionally, unintentional comedy). Save it for when things actually happen as described.

3. Conversate

❌ Wrong: “Let’s conversate about it tomorrow.”
✅ Better: “Let’s converse about it tomorrow.”

Why it’s wrong: “Conversate” is a back-formation—people tried to make a verb out of the noun “conversation.” But the real verb has always been “converse.” Keep it classy.

4. Peruse

❌ Wrong: “I just perused the menu quickly.”
✅ Better: “I skimmed the menu quickly.”
✅ Or: “I perused the menu carefully.”

Why it’s confusing: “Peruse” actually means to read something thoroughly or carefully, not quickly glance through. It’s often used to mean the opposite of what it truly means.

5. Enormity

❌ Wrong: “The enormity of the house blew me away.”
✅ Better: “The enormity of the disaster shocked the world.”
✅ Or: “The size of the house blew me away.”

Why it’s tricky: “Enormity” doesn’t mean “enormousness.” It refers to extreme evil or wickedness. Using it to describe size can send a very different message than you intended.

Bottom Line

Big words can make you sound smart—if they’re used correctly. The trick isn’t choosing the fanciest word, it’s choosing the right word. Precision in language is what truly impresses.

📌 Bonus Tip: If you’re not sure about a word, look it up before you drop it in that email or presentation. Your credibility (and your grammar-loving coworkers) will thank you.