What's the Difference Between 'Discreet' and 'Discrete'?
In this blog post we look at when to use discreet and when to use discrete.
'Discreet' or 'Discrete'?
"Discreet" and "discrete" are two words that are often confused, but have different meanings.
"Discreet" is used to describe a person or their behavior, it means being careful and cautious in what you say or do, especially to keep something private or avoid causing trouble.
On the other hand, "Discrete" is used to describe things or items, it means separate and distinct, not connected or part of something else. It means that one thing is not related to the other thing.
Imagine you have a box of chocolates, each chocolate is a discrete item, it is separate and distinct from the others. Now if you want to eat one of them, but you don't want anyone to know, you would be discreet about it, you would be careful and cautious not to make noise or leave evidence of the missing chocolate.
In simpler terms, discreet refers to being careful and not drawing attention, discrete refers to being separate and distinct from others.
Here are some examples to illustrate the difference between the words “discreet” and “discrete”:
"She was discreet about her plans for the weekend, not wanting to reveal too much information to her colleagues." (In this sentence, the person is being careful about what she says, not wanting to reveal too much information)
"The company's decision to break up into discrete divisions was met with mixed reactions." (In this sentence, the company's decision is to break up into separate and distinct divisions, not connected or part of something else)
"He was discreet about his relationship with her, not wanting to cause any drama at work" (In this sentence, the person is being careful about what he says, not wanting to draw attention or cause any trouble)
"The math problem required us to find the discrete solutions" (In this sentence, the math problem is asking to find the separate and distinct solutions, not connected or part of something else)
Examples of Discreet in a Sentence
-
"The lawyer advised her to be discreet in her statements to the press."
-
"I was impressed by how discreet the hotel staff were during the celebrity's stay."
-
"He was very discreet in his approach to the job interview, not wanting to seem too confident."
-
"She was discreet in her fashion choices, never wanting to stand out too much."
-
"We had to be discreet in our investigation, not wanting to alert the suspects."
-
"He was discreet in his business dealings, always keeping his cards close to his chest."
-
"She was discreet in her criticism, not wanting to hurt anyone's feelings."
-
"He was discreet about his wealth, not wanting to attract attention from the wrong people."
-
"She was discreet about her political views, not wanting to create any conflicts at work."
-
"I was amazed at how discreet the paparazzi were when they caught a glimpse of the famous actress."
Examples of Discrete in a Sentence
-
"The company's decision to break up into discrete divisions was met with mixed reactions."
-
"The math problem required us to find the discrete solutions."
-
"The software was designed to identify discrete patterns in the data."
-
"The theory is composed of several discrete parts that can be studied separately."
-
"The experiment was conducted in discrete stages to ensure safety."
-
"The artist's work is composed of discrete elements that come together to form a cohesive whole."
-
"The lecture was divided into discrete segments to keep the audience engaged."
-
"Discrete measurements were taken at regular intervals to track progress."
-
"The system is composed of discrete components that can be replaced or upgraded."
-
"The collection of fossils was divided into discrete categories for easy identification."
