Word Choice Faze vs. Phase - Proofeds Writing Tips

Word Choice Faze vs. Phase - Proofeds Writing Tips Word Choice: Faze vs. Phase Although the words faze and phase sound the same, they have different meanings and spellings. Learn more about the usage of these terms so that you can use them with confidence in your academic writing. Faze (Disturb or Unsettle) The verb faze means disturb or disconcert, such as in the sentence: The keynote speaker was fazed by the size of the audience. More common than the term faze is the adjective unfazed, which refers to the state of being calm or undaunted by a challenge: Unfazed by the high fences, the horse galloped to victory. Phase (A Stage in a Process) Phase is typically a noun meaning a period or a stage of development within a sequence of events. 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 that are likely to be temporary. One might thus dismiss a teenager’s rebellious phase or describe a midlife crisis as just a phase. The word phase can also be used as a verb. In this case, it means gradually changing something, such as in the terms phasing in and phasing out. In this context, it would be used in a sentence like this: A new minimum size for farmed chickens will be phased in next year. Faze or Phase? Although they sound similar, to faze someone is to unsettle them, while a phase is a stage within a process or a set period of time. Both words could be used in a sentence like this: The pet owners were unfazed by the cat’s anxious phase. Remember that faze is spelled with a z, while phase is spelled with an s. If you would like more advice about academic writing, or to have a 500-word sample of your work checked for free, get in touch with Proofed today!