Some pairs of words can get confusing to use. The most confusing words are often the ones that are spelled somewhat similarly and also sound alike. An example of such is immigrate vs emigrate, which we’ve already tackled. Now, we’re going to take a look at allude vs elude and find out the trick to remember which is which.
To allude is to refer to something without outright saying what that thing is. When you are alluding, you’re dropping hints about the object you are referring to or being vague about it. To further understand how and when to use this word, let’s take a look at some examples.
The verb elude means to escape something, or it could also mean failing to comprehend something. When turned into an adjective, elude becomes elusive, which refers to something difficult to capture.
Since both allude and elude have an air of secrecy behind them, it’s quite understandable to get these two words confused. The secrecy in allude has to do with being indirect and vague, while elude’s secrecy is in its ability to evade capture. Add the fact that the two sound similar, and you’ll find yourself accidentally interchanging the pair of words. But no worries. Here’s a little trick to help you avoid mixing up allude vs elude.
The A in allude stands for addressing indirectly. And the E in elude stands for escape from capture.
Once you associate the word’s starting letter with what it means, then it’s much easier to keep in mind. And now that you know the trick, you’ll find yourself picking the correct word each time.