The words vial and vile are two terms that may sound alike but have completely different meanings and spellings, and this makes them what we call homophones. In this post, we will try to identify the differences between these two to help you use them more effectively and accurately in your writing.
The word vial is used as a noun referring to “a small container, typically cylindrical and made of glass, used especially for holding liquid medicines.”
Mother says 7-year-old son found meth vial at school
9News
7-year-old student finds vial of meth on Colorado elementary school grounds
The Denver Post
Millie Bobby Brown Kept A Vial Of Eleven’s Nose Blood From Stranger Things
Gizmodo Australia
On the other hand, the term vile is used as an adjective which means “extremely unpleasant,” “morally despicable or abhorrent,” or “of little worth or account.”
Carl Bernstein: It’s hard to separate Trump’s ‘vile’ behavior from what is possibly criminal
Washington Examiner
Twitter verified a vile white supremacist. Now it’s reviewing its blue check policy.
VICE News
132,000 vile child sex pictures have been wiped from the internet by British-backed research project
The Sun
Now that we have discussed the differences between vial and vile, you may be able to more accurately use them in your sentences. Keep in mind that vial is a small liquid container while vile refers to something unpleasant or despicable. Some vials in the laboratory may contain items that may be considered vile by others.