Excess-Access | Commonly Confused Words
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Excess vs. Access

Excess

/ɪkˈses/
An amount that is more than is needed or allowed

Examples:

She wagged her finger at him in an excess of archness.The feast featured an excess of delicious desserts.Her closet was overflowing with an excess of shoes.

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Access

/ˈaksɛs/
The ability or right to approach, enter, or use something.

Examples:

How am I supposed to get an access card?Once you access the file, you can start editing it.The museum provides wheelchair access for all visitors.

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

This word has no antonyms

Ways to tell them apart:

etymology
  • Excess has an e at the start, like extra, and both relate to too much or more than needed.
  • Access has an a, just like approach, and it's about reaching or entering a location or system.
  • Both words end in -cess, but excess suggests having extra while access suggests having entry.
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