Counsel vs Council | Difference, Examples & Quiz
Counsel and council are pronounced the same, but they have different (though related) meanings.
- Counsel is a verb meaning ‘advise’ and a noun meaning ‘advice’ or ‘instruction’. It can also be used as a noun to refer to a lawyer.
- Council is a noun referring to an advisory or legislative body of people.
| Examples: Counsel in a sentence | Examples: Council in a sentence |
|---|---|
| Amara counsels people who are grieving. | The theatre is funded by the national arts council. |
| John sought counsel from his defence attorney. | The council is responsible for the upkeep of the public park. |
What does counsel mean?
Counsel is a verb referring to the act of advising someone.
Jordan counsels people facing financial difficulties.
He counseled them to avoid any hasty decisions.
It can also be used as a noun to mean ‘formal advice’ or to refer to a legal advisor.
The defendant’s counsel is contesting the court’s judgment.
I advise you to seek legal counsel.
What does council mean?
Council is a collective noun that refers to a group of people acting as an advisory or legislative body. It’s commonly used before other nouns (e.g., ‘member’, ‘housing’) as an attributive noun (i.e., a noun used like an adjective).
The local council plans to pedestrianise the town center.
A former council member has been arrested for embezzling funds.
Worksheet: Council vs counsel
You can test your understanding of the difference between ‘council’ and ‘counsel’ with the worksheet below. Fill in either ‘council’ or ‘counsel’ in each sentence.
- The priest _______ members of his congregation.
- The defendant’s _______ had over a decade of experience.
- Next week, the _______ will vote on the proposed legislation.
- Fay offers _______ to union members about employee rights.
- The town _______ are seeking legal _______ concerning the misappropriation of funds.
- The priest counsels members of his congregation.
- ‘Counsel’ is a verb referring to the act of advising someone.
- The defendant’s counsel had over a decade of experience.
- Next week, the council will vote on the proposed legislation.
- ‘Council’ is a collective noun used to refer to an advisory or legislative body.
- Fay offers counsel to union members about employee rights.
- ‘Counsel’ can be used as a noun to mean ‘advice‘.
- The town council are seeking legal counsel concerning the misappropriation of funds.
- In the first instance, ‘council’ (referring to a legislative committee) is correct. In the second instance, ‘counsel’ (meaning ‘advice’) is correct.
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Confused words
Definitions
US vs. UK spellings
Frequently asked questions
- What is a synonym for ‘counsel’?
-
There are numerous synonyms and near synonyms for the two meanings of counsel:
Advise (verb) Advice (noun) Direct Direction Guide Guidance Instruct Instruction - What is a synonym for ‘council’?
-
Some synonyms and near synonyms for council include:
- Assembly
- Board
- Committee
- Commission
- Panel
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Ryan, E. (2023, March 15). Counsel vs Council | Difference, Examples & Quiz. Scribbr. Retrieved 22 April 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/frequently-confused-words/counsel-or-council/
