Team vs. Teem: What's the Difference?

The words team and teem are homophones, meaning they sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. Team refers to a group of people who come together to achieve a common goal, often used in a sports or work context. On the other hand, teem means to be full of or swarming with, typically used to describe an abundance of living things, like fish or insects.

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Team vs. Teem

How do you use the word team in a sentence?

The word team is commonly used when talking about a group collaborating towards a shared objective. It's prevalent in sports, business, and various collaborative projects to denote a sense of unity and shared responsibility.
Examples of team in a sentence
  • The project was a success thanks to the dedicated efforts of the entire team.
  • She has always been an excellent team player, bringing positivity and collaboration to group assignments.
  • During the championship, the team worked in unison to outplay their rivals.

How do you use the word teem in a sentence?

You can use teem when you want to express that a place is abundantly filled with people, animals, or things. The word often evokes imagery of a bustling, lively environment overflowing with activity or life.
Examples of teem in a sentence
  • After the rain, the streams teemed with salmon rushing upstream to spawn.
  • The night market teemed with shoppers looking for the best deals under the colorful lights.
  • The ancient forest teemed with a chorus of sounds from countless birds and insects.

Team and teem definition, parts of speech, and pronunciation

Team definition:
A team is a noun that describes a group of individuals working together, often to compete against other groups or achieve a specific task.

Team parts of speech:
  • The soccer team trained hard for the upcoming match.
  • Their team effort resulted in a successful charity event.

Team pronunciation:
Team is pronounced as /tiːm/.

Teem definition:
Teem is a verb that means to be full of or swarming with, often used to describe an abundance of creatures or things.

Teem parts of speech:
  • The garden was teeming with bees and butterflies enjoying the summer flowers.
  • During the festival, the city streets teemed with revelers from all over the world.

Teem pronunciation:
Teem is pronounced as /tiːm/, identical to 'team'.

Team vs. teem in a nutshell

While team and teem sound identical, they serve very different purposes in language. Team is a noun signifying a group of people joined in a common purpose, commonly seen in areas like sports or business. Alternatively, teem, a verb, conveys abundance and overflowing, usually associated with life or movement. Remember, a team works together, and an environment 'teems' with life. Their identical pronunciation but distinct meanings exemplify the richness and complexity of the English language.

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