Key Difference: We know that there are many pairs of words available in the English language with identical pronunciations, but have different spellings and meanings. On that note, the words Access and Excess are different from each other, but many people confuse about these words. Access refers to the way to reach or approach something. The word Excess refers to the extra amount of something that is more than necessary. Let’s see the differentiation between these words and learn their actual meaning of them.
Access: I want to access your PC right now.
Excess: Give me the excess notebooks if you have many.
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Access:
Ability to make use of something
The word “Access” refers to reaching or approaching something in order to make use of it. In other words, entering into something. You can use this word as either a noun or a verb. Most people use this word when it is required. Let’s see an example to make it clear. We cannot access this PC because it is locked. From this statement, we might understand that if the PC is locked, we cannot access it until getting the password. Yet another example of this word is that I have a special pass to access the restricted area in the forest. In this sentence, we understand that someone says that he or she has a special pass to reach out to the restricted area in this forest.
Enunciation:
Syllables are phonological building blocks of words. It divides the words into parts that can help you read words more accurately. Let’s see how to split the word affect using syllables. Learning syllables can also help you to spell words correctly.
- The word “Access” has two syllables.
- It can be divided as “Ac-cess.”
More Examples:
- I will send you the access code.
- Can we access the library?
- She gave me access to her records.
- Some areas are restricted to access in this city.
- If you don’t mind, you can access my computer.
Excess:
Beyond the Sufficient Level
As we said earlier, the term “excess” refers to beyond the necessity or overabundance of something. This word can be used as a noun or an adjective. To be more precise, If something is more than the required quantity, then we use the word excess. For instance, where are the excess coins which I gave to you?. From this sentence, we understand that someone asks about the extra coins. Let’s see one more example to make it clear. Excess speed in vehicles leads to accidents.
Enunciation:
Syllabification refers to the process of division of words into smaller parts. It is commonly known as syllables. With its help, you can easily read and spell the word accurately. Here, you will see how to split the word “Excess” by syllables.
- The word “Excess” has two syllables.
- It can be divided as “Ex-cess.”
More Examples:
- There are no excess seats in the auditorium.
- Please trim the excess leaves from this plant.
- She always keeps excess money with her.
- He ate to excess and get sick.
- Avoid carrying excess things when you go out.
Compare: Access Vs Excess
This table will show you the contradiction between the words Access and Excess.
| Access | Excess | |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | It refers to reach or approach something in order to make use of it. | It refers to beyond the necessity or overabundance of something. |
| Synonyms | entrance, entry, way in, approach, examine, admittance | surplus, overflow, extra, overspill, leftover, too much |
| Antonyms | exit, egress, outway, opening | lack, moderation, restraint |
| Parts of Speech | noun or verb | noun or adjective |
| Etymology | Middle English (in the sense ‘sudden attack of illness’): from Latin accessus, from the verb accedere ‘to approach’ (see accede). access (sense 1 of the noun) is first recorded in the early 17th century. | late Middle English: via Old French from Latin excessus, from excedere ‘go out, surpass’ |
| Examples | They have access to the manager’s room. How do we access the internet in this lab? You can access the laptop from anywhere. All students have access to the library. | You should not drink to excess. Excess to work will make you exhausted. You should not waste the food if you have excess. My house has an excess of three rooms. |
Resources and References:
Resources: Cambridge Dictionary (Access, Excess), Merriam-Webster (Access, Excess), Dictionary.com (Access, Excess)
Reference: Dictionary.Cambridge.org[1], Merriam-Webster.com[2][3], Dictionary.com[4].