Acting in a way that is not correct or expected; straying from the proper path
Examples:
The errant knight wandered the countryside in search of adventure.Her errant decision to invest all her savings soon led to regret.Despite an errant throw, the quarterback managed to win the game.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Arrant
/ˈærənt/
Complete or total, often used to describe something negative
Examples:
Her arrant disregard for the rules shocked us all.The politician was an arrant deceiver, fooling everyone.An arrant fool, he trusted everyone without question.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Ways to tell them apart:
Errant usually refers to something or someone that is straying from the proper course or standards.
Arrant is used as an intensifier, often meaning complete or utter.
When you think of errant, imagine a knight going on an adventure that might lead him off course, like errant knight.
Arrant often precedes negative attributes, such as arrant nonsense, to highlight their extremity.
Remember: Errant and error both start with err-, so errant could imply a deviation from the norm.