Table of Contents
Introduction
The words “elicit” and “illicit” can be easily confused due to their similar spellings and pronunciations, despite having distinct meanings. So, what exactly sets these two words apart?
In a nutshell, “elicit” is a verb that means to evoke or draw out, often a response or information, through skillful prompting or stimulation. On the other hand, “illicit” is an adjective that refers to something unlawful, prohibited, or not permitted by law or custom.
This article aims to clarify the disparity between these two words in more detail and provide examples to dispel any confusion.
Confused Words: Elicit and Illicit
The words elicit and illicit are easily confused. This is mainly because they may seem almost similar in spelling and pronunciation. So what’s the difference between elicit and illicit?
Elicit
The word “elicit” is a verb that means to evoke or draw out (a response, answer, or fact) from someone in reaction to one’s own actions or questions.
Synonyms of “elicit” include: obtain, draw out, extract, bring out, evoke, call forth, bring forth, induce, prompt, generate, engender, trigger, provoke
Examples:
- His remarks elicited a negative response.
- The teacher elicited the answer from his students.
- Investigators tried to elicit the truth from the convict.
- The comedian’s jokes elicited laughter from the audience.
- The music elicits strong emotions in its listeners.
- The therapist tried to elicit memories from the patient during the session.
- The survey was designed to elicit opinions from the participants.
Illicit
The word illicit is usually used as an adjective and means forbidden by law, rules, or custom.
Synonyms of illicit include: illegal, unlawful, illegitimate
Examples:
- He sells illicit drugs.
- It’s an illicit love affair.
- The company was shut down due to its involvement in illicit activities.
- The smugglers were caught with a shipment of illicit goods.
- It’s illegal to possess illicit firearms.
- She was arrested for her involvement in an illicit gambling ring.
Conclusion
To sum up, while “elicit” involves drawing out or evoking responses or information, “illicit” refers to actions or items that are illegal, prohibited, or not permitted by law.
Elicit vs Illicit Quiz
- What does the word “elicit” mean?
- a) To forbid by law
- b) To evoke or draw out a response or information
- c) To permit by custom
- Which of the following is NOT a synonym of “elicit”?
- a) Obtain
- b) Generate
- c) Legalize
- What part of speech is the word “illicit”?
- a) Noun
- b) Adjective
- c) Verb
- What does the word “illicit” refer to?
- a) Actions or items that are illegal, prohibited, or not permitted by law
- b) Actions or items that are permitted by law
- c) Actions or items that are ethical and lawful
- Which of the following is NOT a synonym of “illicit”?
- a) Illegal
- b) Unlawful
- c) Authorized
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