You might be tempted to turn the radio dial when you hear a love song that is saccharine , meaning that it’s too sweet and sentimental to bear. The adjective saccharine comes from the Middle Latin word for sugar . Saccharine is a type of sugar substitute that you might sprinkle on your cereal or berries to sweeten them without the calories of real sugar. The word is used to describe something so sweet that it’s annoying — like a very sentimental song or a tear-jerking commercial. Want to expand your vocabulary? Get Word of the Day delivered straight to your inbox! Subscribe to our word of the day What's your vocabulary proficiency score? Test your vocabulary proficiency level with our award-winning program and see how you rank against millions of English language learners worldwide. Sign up now (it’s free!) Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement. Commonly Confused Words See all > A comprehensive guide to correct word choice These words are two sides of the same coin: ways to get more or to make something go further. One side is about saving; the other is about spending less.

Warning! These similar sounding words have very different meanings. To prescribe is to recommend and to proscribe is to forbid. One little letter makes a big difference. Both have to do with right and wrong, but amoral means having no sense of either, like a fish, but the evil immoral describes someone who knows the difference, doesn't care, and says "mwah ha ha" while twirling a mustache. A correlation is exactly what it sounds like: a co-relation, or relationship — like the correlation between early birds waking up and the sun rising. But corollary is more like a consequence, like the corollary of the rooster crowing because you smacked it in the beak. Both words love the math lab but can hang with the rest of us, too. Both words have to do with the mind, but it's more important to be conscious , or awake, than conscience, or aware of right and wrong. Remain conscious while listening to your friend's moral dilemma so you can use your conscience to give good advice. To wave is to move to and fro, like when you wave your hand. Hello there! To waive , with a sneaky "i," is to give up your right to do something. Finally, a dictionary with a soul Our definitions were written by humans, for humans. Each word has a friendly explanation that makes it easy to remember. Real world examples Discover thousands of example sentences from current newspapers, magazines, and literature. World’s smartest, fastest dictionary Find the word you’re looking for faster than any other online dictionary. That’s less time searching, more time learning.