Tenet vs Tenant
tenet
a principle/belief
tenant
one who rents
How to tell them apart
teneT = a belief you hold True (T for True doctrine). tenANT = a renter who pays reNT (ANT-sized paycheck to the landlord).
Test yourself
Which word fits from context? Pick one, then reveal the answer. This is exactly how the GRE tests these pairs.
Question 1
Nonviolence remained the central of his philosophy, a conviction he refused to abandon even under brutal persecution.
Choose: tenet or tenant
Show answer
Answer: tenet
'of his philosophy, a conviction' identifies a core belief (tenet); tenant (a renter) is nonsensical here.
Question 2
The landlord evicted the for failing to pay rent for three consecutive months despite repeated written warnings.
Choose: tenet or tenant
Show answer
Answer: tenant
'landlord evicted... for failing to pay rent' fixes the renter (tenant); tenet (a belief) cannot be evicted.
Dig deeper
Never mix up tenet and tenant again
Learn 1,000+ GRE words through stories, practice with real GRE questions, and never forget with spaced repetition.