40 Incorrectly Used Words That Can Make You Look Dumb - (author unknown) Take the words "who" and "whom." I rarely use "whom" when I should -- even when spell check suggests "whom." I think it sounds pretentious. So I use "who." And then I sound dumb. Just like one misspelled word can get your resume tossed onto the "nope" pile, one incorrectly used word can negatively impact your entire message. Fairly or unfairly, it happens -- so let's make sure it doesn't happen to you. Adverse and averse Adverse means harmful or unfavorable: "Adverse market conditions caused the IPO to be poorly subscribed." Averse refers to feelings of dislike or opposition: "I was averse to paying $18 a share for a company that generates