Sole vs. Soul – What’s the Gist?
Both sole and soul suggest the meaning of that which is unseen. Whether it is the bottom of a shoe or the innermost part of a human, neither is obviously observed.
Additionally, this pairing shows remarkable versatility in both meaning and function.
- Sole is a noun, verb, or adjective.
- Soul functions as a noun or an adjective.
How to Use Sole in a Sentence
Sole definition: When sole functions as a noun, it means what you think it does, the sole of a shoe. It also is the meaning of a fish from the flatfish family. Presumably, the flatfish is called a sole because it is flat like the bottom of most footwear.
The verb reflects the action of the noun, as in to furnish with a sole. And lastly, in its adjectival form, it illustrates the idea of being a solitary entity.
For example:
- The intense hike through the soggy terrain caused the soles of her boots to be caked with mud. (Noun)
- The only cobbler in town soled the associate’s dress shoes. (Past Tense Verb)
- After saving for years and finding the funding, the entrepreneur became the sole proprietor of a business. (Adjective)
As a noun, the word sole is what you immediately think it is: the bottom of a shoe. But, as you can see, it does have some other meanings as well.
How to Use Soul in a Sentence
Soul definition: Soul, as a noun reflects inward aspects of a person’s life. It means the spiritual principle in a human being, or suggest a person’s total self, or even his essential part. This particular section even means an exemplification of something.
As an adjective, the word soul is also associated with the culture of black Americans.
For example:
- Because of his experience with the rejection of people and the challenges of life, the father was concerned for the condition of his soul and spirit. (Noun)
- The pastor talked about the mind, body, and soul in her Sunday message. (Noun)
- The family loaded the tables with their favorite soul foods. (Adjective)
The word soul focuses on the hidden and intangible essences of a person.
Outside Examples of Sole vs. Soul
- If your Thanksgiving feast has any of the following foods, it has California to thank. The state is the sole producer (99% or more) for the following crops: almonds, artichokes, figs, garlic, olives, clingstone peaches, dates, kiwi fruit, pistachios, raisins, sweet rice, and walnuts. –The Orange County Register
- The excitement around Tesla’s stock signals the market believes the company will be “the sole winner” in the move to electric vehicles, Brian Johnson, an analyst for Barclays, told investors in a note this month. He also compared the stock run-up with the overvaluations of the tech boom of the 1990s. –The Wall Street Journal
- Perfino was found guilty. Records say he was sentenced to hang by the neck until he was “dead!, dead!!, dead!!!” Someone scratched out the line in the records book reading “may the Lord have mercy upon your soul.” –Tampa Bay Times
- When craving some comforting soul food you don’t have to travel far. Cleveland and the Northeast Ohio region are loaded with terrific options. Below, we’ve put together a list of the Top 20 Soul Food Restaurants in the Greater Cleveland area. We teamed with Yelp Cleveland to bring you this ranking. –The Plain Dealer
Phrases That Use Sole and Soul
There are some phrases that use the word sole or soul, including:
The sole (of something): The one and only of something.
- The girl was the sole female cousin of the group.
Soul food: Traditional southern African American cuisine.
- A plate of well-flavored ribs is known as being a soul food dish of the south.
Bared one’s soul: To be fully open about the inner thoughts and feelings with another.
- Because she was hurt by the breakup, the woman bared her soul to a close friend.
How to Remember These Words
Although they sound exactly alike, these two words are different from each other. Sole deals with the underneath of footwear or reflects the idea of independence. While, on the other hand, the innermost part of a person shows in the word soul.
A handy mnemonic device for the word sole is the letter e. Of the two words, only sole contains an e and sole can mean having no companion, thus being alone. Both sole and alone end in the letter e.
With the term soul, look to the letter u to remember that u sounds like you. You have a soul.
For example:
- Being the sole word on a page means to be the one and only word.
- Since everyone has a soul, this means you
Article Summary
Is sole or soul correct? Two versatile words are found in this word pairing, but knowing the noun you want will help determine the term you choose.
If you want the part of a shoe or a catch from the flatfish family, pick sole. Are you discussing the innermost part of a human being? If so, choose soul.
- Sole functions as a noun, a transitive verb, or an adjective.
- Soul is a noun or an adjective.