A few means ‘some’ or ‘a small number of’. When a few is used along with the adverb ‘only’, it means ‘not many’ (e.g., ‘only a few original copies of the book survive’).
Scribbr’s Grammar Checker can help ensure you’re using phrases like ‘a few’ correctly in your writing.
‘Touch bases’ is sometimes mistakenly used instead of the expression touch base, meaning ‘reconnect briefly’. In the expression, the word ‘base’ can’t be pluralised – the idea is more that you’re both touching the same ‘base’.
‘Touch basis’ is a misspelling of ‘touch bases’ and is also incorrect.
A Scribbr Grammar Check can help ensure you’re using phrases like ‘touch base’ correctly in your writing.
Some antonyms (opposites) for ‘callous’ include:
Some synonyms for copacetic include:
Scribbr’s Paraphrasing Tool can help you find even more synonyms for ‘copacetic’.
Copacetic has four syllables. It’s pronounced with emphasis on the third syllable: [koh-pah-set-ik].
The standard spelling is copacetic. The variant spellings copasetic and copesetic are also listed as acceptable by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, but they’re less common.
The origin of the word is unclear (it’s thought to have originated as slang in the 20th century), which is why various spellings are deemed acceptable.
Scribbr’s free Grammar Checker can help ensure you use words like ‘copacetic’ correctly in your writing.
Please bear with me is a more polite version of the expression bear with me, meaning ‘have patience with me’.
It’s typically used along with a conjunction (e.g., ‘while’), to explain why you’re asking for patience (e.g., ‘please bear with me while I try to find the correct file’).
Scribbr’s Free Grammar Checker can help ensure you’re using phrases like ‘bear with me’ correctly in your writing.
Some synonyms for bear with me include:
Scribbr’s Paraphrasing Tool can help you find even more synonyms for ‘bear with me’.
‘Bare with me’ is a common misspelling of the phrase bear with me. While ‘bare’ can be used as a verb meaning ‘uncover’, it doesn’t make sense in this phrase. The verb you need is ‘bear’, meaning ‘carry’ or ‘endure’.
Scribbr’s Free Grammar Checker can help ensure you’re using phrases like ‘bear with me’ correctly in your writing.
Misnomer is quite a unique word without any clear synonyms. Some phrases that convey the same idea are:
Scribbr’s Paraphraser can help you find even more synonyms for words like ‘misnomer’.
Some well-known examples of terms that are or have been viewed as misnomers, but are still widely used, include:
Some synonyms for touch base include:
Scribbr’s Paraphraser can help you find even more synonyms for phrases like ‘touch base’.
Some synonyms for ‘callous’ include:
Scribbr’s Paraphraser can help you find even more synonyms for words like ‘callous’.
Let’s touch base is an expression used to suggest to someone that you touch base or briefly reconnect. It’s rarely used in formal or academic writing.
A Scribbr Grammar Check can help ensure you’re using phrases like ‘let’s touch base’ correctly in your writing.
There are different synonyms for the various meanings of besides.
| Except | In addition to | As well | Furthermore |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apart from | As well as | Also | Additionally |
| But | Along with | Too | Further |
| Other than | Together with | Moreover |
Beside and besides are related words, but they don’t have the same meaning.
Scribbr’s Grammar Checker can help ensure you’re using words like ‘beside’ and ‘besides’ correctly in your writing.
Yes, besides is a preposition meaning ‘apart from’ (e.g., ‘Laura doesn’t like hot drinks besides cocoa’). It can also be used to mean ‘as well as’ (e.g., ‘Besides traveling, Angie enjoys cooking’).
Scribbr’s Grammar Checker can help ensure you’re using ‘besides’ correctly in your writing.
There are many ways to categorise determiners into various types. Some of the main types of determiners are:
Use to and used to are commonly confused words. In the case of “used to have”, the latter (with “d”) is correct, since you’re describing an action or state in the past.
Some synonyms and near synonyms for few include:
Our Paraphraser can help you find even more synonyms for ‘few’.
Although a few doesn’t refer to any specific number, it’s typically used to refer to a relatively small number that’s more than two (e.g., ‘I’m going home in a few hours’).
‘Indubitably‘ has five syllables. It is pronounced with an emphasis on the second syllable: [in-doo-bit-uh-blee].
Some antonyms (opposites) for facetious include:
Facetious has three syllables. It’s pronounced with an emphasis on the second syllable: [fuh-see-shuss].
Some words that are synonyms or near synonyms of ‘eponymous‘ include:
Our Paraphrasing Tool can help you find even more synonyms for ‘eponymous’.
“Eponymous” has four syllables. It’s pronounced with an emphasis on the second syllable: [i-pon-uh-muss].
There are numerous synonyms for the various meanings of protagonist.
| Main character in a story | Main participant in an event | Leader or supporter of a cause |
| Central figure | Actor | Advocate |
| Hero(ine) | Key figure | Champion |
| Lead(ing) character | Main figure | Exponent |
| Main character | Principal player | Promoter |
| Proponent | ||
| Supporter | ||
| Upholder |
In fiction, the opposite (antonym) of a protagonist is an antagonist, meaning someone who opposes the protagonist.
More generally, some antonyms for ‘protagonist’ include:
Ad nauseam is usually used to refer to something going on for too long. Some rough synonyms of ad nauseam are:
The correct spelling of the term meaning ‘to a sickening degree’ is ad nauseam, with an ‘a’. The common misspelling ‘ad nauseum’, with a ‘u’, is never correct.
Some synonyms for facetious include:
Scribbr’s Paraphrasing Tool can help you find even more synonyms for ‘facetious’.
Some synonyms for ‘indubitably‘ include:
Our Paraphrasing Tool can help you find even more synonyms for ‘indubitably’.
Some synonyms of vice versa include:
There are two ways to pronounce vice versa:
Both pronunciations are considered acceptable, but ‘vice versa’ is the only correct spelling.
Vice versa is the only correct spelling (not ‘vice a versa’ or ‘vice-versa’), but the phrase can be pronounced both ways: [vice–vur-suh] or [vice-uh-vur-suh].
A Scribbr Grammar Check can help ensure you’re using phrases like ‘vice versa’ correctly in your writing.
Albeit has three syllables. It’s pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable: [awl-bee-it].
Because some people pronounce ‘I’ll’ in a similar way to the first syllable, they sometimes mistakenly write ‘I’ll be it’ in place of ‘albeit’. This is incorrect and should be avoided.
Mea maxima culpa is a term of Latin origin meaning ‘through my most grievous fault’. It is used to acknowledge a mistake or wrongdoing. Mea maxima culpa is a stronger version of mea culpa, which means ‘through my fault’.
Mea maxima culpa is traditionally used in a prayer of confession in the Catholic Church as the third and most emphatic expression of guilt (‘mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa’). Unlike mea culpa, mea maxima culpa is rarely used outside of a religious context.
Mea culpa has four syllables. It’s pronounced with emphasis on the first and third syllables: [May-uh-kuul-puh].
Some synonyms for “loquacious” include:
Our Paraphrasing Tool can help you find even more synonyms for ‘loquacious’.
Some antonyms (opposites) of ‘loquacious‘ include:
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For a more comprehensive edit, you can add a Structure Check or Clarity Check to your order. With these building blocks, you can customize the kind of feedback you receive.
You might be familiar with a different set of editing terms. To help you understand what you can expect at Scribbr, we created this table:
| Types of editing | Available at Scribbr? |
|---|---|
| Proofreading Correction of superficial mistakes, such as typos, misspellings, punctuation errors and consistency errors. |
Yes! This is the “proofreading” in Scribbr’s standard service. It can only be selected in combination with editing. |
| Copy editing Focus on grammar, syntax, style, tone and the conventions of the field. The editor also considers the internal logic of the text and flags any obvious contradictions. |
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Yes! Select the Structure Check and Clarity Check to receive a comprehensive edit equivalent to a line edit. |
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