Easily Confused Words: Addict Vs. Attic - Kathleen W Curry

Addict and attic are easily confused words.

The spell-check application of most word processing software programs would not catch a slip-up of these two words. Spell-check is looking for words that aren’t in its dictionary, and words that resemble words in its dictionary, but are possibly spelled wrong. Spell-check isn’t perfect. It doesn’t know and can’t guess what word you wanted, or what word you meant, it can only judge the words on the page. If you used words that are all spelled correctly, it gives you a pass anyway.

Autocorrect suggests words that start with the same letters. It’s suggesting what word you may want to save time, but quite often, its suggestions are pretty off base. They don’t help you out, but they do make you laugh.

Addict (pronounced “add-ickt”) is a noun. It means someone who is dependent on a substance for peace of mind or survival.

In current US media, a major concern is opioid addiction.

Attic (pronounced “at-ick”) is a noun. It means a top floor room typically used as storage or a spare bedroom. [This room can also be called a loft.]

In areas with an elevation below sea level, basements are not an option in houses; attics are the top floor alternative.

The following story uses both words correctly:

After months of trying to track the murderer for recent crimes, the perpetrator was located in the attic of an abandoned house. It was a drug addict receiving execution orders for cash, the cash naturally being used to support a possessive habit. 

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