Confusing Words: Access (noun/verb) and Excess (noun/adjective)
Meaning:
Access (the means or opportunity to approach or enter a place.)
Excess (an amount of something that is more than necessary, permitted, or desirable.)
Access vs Excess Clarification: Access and excess are homophones. They have same pronunciation but different meanings and usage.
Access vs Excess – What is the Difference, Definition, & Meanings?
Unlike their pronunciation, these two words have very different meanings, usage and spellings. Only two alphabets are different in them i.e. access > excess. They pronounced exactly the same. That is why, writers get confused sometimes. You will see that after reading the whole context, you will get enough information to identify each word correctly.
Usage of Access and Excess in Suitable Circumstances
- Access is something about → gaining or approaching.
- Excess is something about the amount as ↑ being too much.
I have used the arrow so that it can help you to remember the difference between these two words. For instance, → this arrow normally symbolizes the forward sign as access is all about forwarding or approaching. On the other hand, ↑ this sign can be used when something exceeds a limit. I have used these signs just to give you a simple tip.
However, access is used as a noun or a verb. Its meaning is to enter, to approach or to gain something. Access as a noun can have a different meaning as well and that meaning is ‘an eruption or a burst of an emotion’.
- I had lost my keys and I gained no access to my house. (as a noun)
- You can use authorized system to access your game library. (as a verb)
- I was suddenly overcome with an access of rage. (as a noun meaning an outburst)
Besides access, excess can be a noun or an adjective. In both cases, it means surplus, excessive, overconsumption etc.
- One tip is to stay healthy is to stop excess of fat in your diet. (as a noun)
- Excess fat can lead you to death. (as an adjective)
Check Out: The Difference Between Beside and Besides.
Still confused?
You are thinking that in one area, access and excess are somehow depicting the same meaning. If you think an example of access or excess of love, you will come to know that in both cases a very clear difference is coming out.
Access of love would be an outburst or an eruption of love. On the other hand, an excess of love can be called as too much of love that you cannot take it as positive image because excess means more than necessary.
What Did You Learn?
It is clear that access and excess are homophones. They have same pronunciation but different meanings and usage.
The meaning of access is ‘to enter, to approach or to gain something’ and it is used as a noun or a verb. Excess can be used as a noun or an adjective and it means ‘excessive, overconsumption’ etc.