ESEN
Which one to use?Advancedverbadjective
ElicitvsIllicit
'Elicit' means to draw out or provoke a response; 'illicit' means illegal or forbidden.
Side-by-side comparison
Elicit
verb"Elicit" is the verb to draw out or provoke a response: you get someone to say, feel, or do something. "The question elicited strong reactions."
The therapist used open-ended questions to elicit honest responses from the patient.
Her presentation elicited strong applause and several follow-up questions.
The journalist tried to elicit a statement from the spokesperson but was refused.
Illicit
adjective"Illicit" is the adjective describing something illegal or prohibited, going against the law or established morality. "Illicit activities" = illegal activities.
The company was fined for engaging in illicit price-fixing agreements with competitors.
The investigation revealed an illicit network of shell companies used for money laundering.
Illicit trade in wildlife is the fourth-largest criminal enterprise globally.
Common mistake
- •"The survey illicited responses" is wrong: the verb for drawing out or provoking is "elicit".
- •"Illicit" is the adjective for illegal or forbidden.
- •"The survey elicited strong opinions" / "illicit drug trade".
Trick to remember it
- •"Elicit" is a verb like "solicit", both end in -icit and mean to draw something out.
- •"Illicit" starts with ILL like "illegal" and "ill-advised", things that are wrong or harmful.
Quick rule
- •Is it the verb to draw out or provoke? "Elicit".
- •Is it the adjective for illegal or forbidden? "Illicit".
Did you know?
"Elicit" comes from Latin "elicere" (to draw out), same root as "delicious" and "delight" (things that attract us). "Illicit" comes from Latin "illicitus" (not permitted), same root as "licence" (permission) and "leisure" (permitted free time). They look and sound almost identical but one is a verb and the other an adjective. Illicit trade (drugs, wildlife, counterfeits) moves over $2.2 trillion annually, a figure frequently "elicited" from international crime reports.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
The teacher asked a question designed to _____ a response from the students.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
He was arrested for selling _____ substances in the market.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
AcceptvsExcept
One means to receive or agree to something, the other means to exclude or not include.
AdvicevsAdvise
'Advice' is the guidance you receive (noun); 'advise' is the act of giving that guidance (verb).
AffectvsEffect
'Affect' is the verb meaning to influence something; 'effect' is the noun meaning result or consequence.
AislevsIsle
'Aisle' is the walkway between rows of seats or shelves; 'isle' is a small island.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy