Difference between definitely and defiantly

This is part of the difference between series.

I’ve heard some people confusing the words definitely and defiantly. Here’s the difference between the two.

Definitely

Definitely refers to having no doubt or having certainty; it’s based on the word definite.

I will definitely eat all this ice cream before I go to bed.

Defiantly

Defiantly refers to being bold or resistant; it’s based on the word defy.

I defiantly touched the hot stove even though you told me not to.

Definately

Another common misspelling of definitely is definately. This isn’t like the confusion of definitely and defiantly, which are two different but actual words; definately is simply a misspelling of definitely.

Which words do you confuse? Let me know in the comments below.

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By Kim Siever

I am a copywriter and copyeditor. I blog on writing and social media tips mostly, but I sometimes throw in my thoughts about running a small business. Follow me on Twitter at @hotpepper.

4 comments

    1. That’s a great suggestion, Natty. Keep an eye out for a future post. :)

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