Although the two words ‘faze’ and ‘phase’ might sound exactly the same when spoken, they have very different meanings. One is verb while the other is a noun, and you also need to remember which word is spelled with a ‘z’ and which with an ‘s’. Learn more about their definitions and usage so that you can employ them with confidence in your academic writing.
Faze
The verb ‘to faze’ means to disturb or disconcert someone. It can never be used as a noun, but is often used as an adjective, as in the sentences:
‘The keynote speaker wasn’t remotely fazed by the size of the audience’.
‘This prize show jumping horse is unfazed by high fences’.
Phase
The word ‘phase’ is a noun meaning a period of time or a stage of development. It is a specific, delineated period within a sequence of events or a timeline. For example, one might talk of ‘phase one’ in a new business plan.
It is sometimes used in a pejorative manner to describe behavior or actions which might be perceived as unusual, but which are only temporary. One often hears of a teenager’s ‘rebellious phase’, or dismisses a midlife crisis as ‘just a phase’.
The word ‘phase’ can also be used as a verb in the context of gradually changing something by phasing it either in or out. In this context, it would be used in a sentence like this:
‘A new minimum size for farmed chickens will be phased in’.
The Difference
Both words could be used in one sentence, like this:
‘The pet owners were unfazed by the cat’s anxious phase’.
Remember that the word ‘faze’ is spelled with a ‘z’ and the word ‘phase’ is spelled with an ‘s’.
If you would like some more guidance and advice to do with academic writing, or would like to have a 500 word sample of your own work checked through by a team of experts, get in touch with Proofread My Paper today!
Faze
The verb ‘to faze’ means to disturb or disconcert someone. It can never be used as a noun, but is often used as an adjective, as in the sentences:
‘The keynote speaker wasn’t remotely fazed by the size of the audience’.
‘This prize show jumping horse is unfazed by high fences’.
Phase
The word ‘phase’ is a noun meaning a period of time or a stage of development. It is a specific, delineated period within a sequence of events or a timeline. For example, one might talk of ‘phase one’ in a new business plan.
It is sometimes used in a pejorative manner to describe behavior or actions which might be perceived as unusual, but which are only temporary. One often hears of a teenager’s ‘rebellious phase’, or dismisses a midlife crisis as ‘just a phase’.
The word ‘phase’ can also be used as a verb in the context of gradually changing something by phasing it either in or out. In this context, it would be used in a sentence like this:
‘A new minimum size for farmed chickens will be phased in’.
The Difference
Both words could be used in one sentence, like this:
‘The pet owners were unfazed by the cat’s anxious phase’.
Remember that the word ‘faze’ is spelled with a ‘z’ and the word ‘phase’ is spelled with an ‘s’.
If you would like some more guidance and advice to do with academic writing, or would like to have a 500 word sample of your own work checked through by a team of experts, get in touch with Proofread My Paper today!