The word atmosphere has a few meanings. When we talk about the earth's atmosphere, we mean the gaseous envelope surrounding the planet. But when we talk about a tense atmosphere or an atmosphere of impending war, we are describing a different kind of atmosphere, that is, a surrounding or pervading mood or environment. Atmosphere is useful for talking about mental or psychological environments as well as physical ones. The synonym ambience is almost always used to talk about physical surroundings, specifically a pleasant or luxurious quality, tone, or mood of a particular environment or milieu. The term is often used in the context of restaurants, many of which seek to cultivate the perfect ambience for a memorable dining experience.

The verbs warn and admonish both imply attempting to prevent another from running into danger or getting into unpleasant or undesirable circumstances. To warn is to speak plainly and usually in strong terms: She warned him of the dangers that lay ahead. To admonish is to caution, advise, or counsel. This synonym suggests giving earnest, authoritative advice with only tacit references to danger or penalty. A judge might admonish jurors not to discuss a trial outside of the courtroom. This verb can also mean "to reprove or scold, especially in a mild and good-willed manner"— and often an admonition is a little bit of both: part warning, part scolding, as in the case of a teacher who admonishes a student about excessive noise.

Fussy and finicky can both be used to describe someone who is so picky or particular that they’re hard to satisfy. A child with highly selective eating habits will be called a fussy eater or a finicky eater, without any difference in meaning. But in general, finicky is a more precise term than fussy, which has several different meanings. A fussy customer may make sure all twenty-nine dollar bills go in the same direction before he hands them to you and want his receipt stapled to the bag, or he may not like any of the ties you show him. Finicky suggests someone who has (or affects) excessively discriminating tastes and standards (finicky customers with finicky tastes), perhaps as a sign of superiority. Finicky objects turn the tables on consumers; they demand excessive carefulness or constant adjustment: finicky controls, a finicky touchpad.