The term Eggcorn, derived from a misspelling of acorn, can be defined as an informal term for a word or phrase that is used (due to mishearing) by mistakes usually because it is a homophone or sounds similar to the original word or phrase. They are words or phrases mistakenly used in a plausible way for another word or phrase because of their homophonic sound.

Thus, Eggcorn involves replacing an unfamiliar word with a more common word. Using a database table, I have put together a list of the 85 eggcorns that are commonly used especially in writing.

List of Eggcorns and Suggestions

Eggcorns Corrections
all intensive purposes all intents and purposes
per say per se
another thing coming another think coming
ascared afraid
as dust fell as dusk fell
biting my time biding my time
biting your time biding your time
best thing since life’s bread best thing since sliced bread
bondfire bonfire
 
callapitter caterpillar
chesterdraws chest of drawers
civilware silverware
consinct concise
curly roads curvy roads
daring-do derring-do
doggy-dog-world dog-eat-dog
duck tape duct tape
escape goat scape goat
expresso espresso
eyebulbs eyeballs
facetube youtube
flush out flesh out
flustrated frustrated
flutterby butterfly
free examples free samples
genetic brands generic brands
growth sprout growth spurt
guilt trap guilt trip
handy-downs hand-me-downs
handy downs hand-me-downs
happy as a clown happy as a clam
hearbuds earbuds
hell in a handbag hell in a handbasket
ice tea iced tea
illicit a response elicit a response
in other worlds in other words
junk start jump start
just deserves just deserts
labtop laptop
lapkin napkin
last stitch effort last ditch effort
lesser of two equals lesser of two evils
magnaphone megaphone
mist of things midst of things
mute point moot point
nerve-wrecking nerve-wracking
nerve wrecking nerve-wracking
nip it in the butt nip it in the bud
nip in the butt nip in the bud
nip this in the butt nip this in the bud
old timers disease Alzheimer’s disease
old-timers disease Alzheimer’s disease
old wise tale old wives tale
on the lamb on the lam
optical delusion optical illusion
out of bounce out of bounds
overfloating overflowing
pass mustard pass muster
platemats placemats
rebel rouser rabble rouser
real goal-getter real go-getter
rot iron fences wrought-iron fences
scandally clad scantily clad
self of steam self esteem
skyscratcher skyscraper
stand at a tension stand at attention
take it for granite take it for granted
took it for granite took it for granted
takes two to tangle takes two to tango
towing the line toeing the line
tremblor temblor
very close veins Varicose veins
vim and vinegar vim and vigor
wet your appetite whet your appetite
wet my appetite whet my appetite
wet the appetite whet the appetite
wheelbarrel wheelbarrow
wild variety wide variety
wind charms wind chimes
windshield factor windchill factor
wonderlust wanderlust
world wind romance whirlwind romance
world wind tour whirlwind tour
worth ethic work ethic

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