What is the difference between a malapropism and a pun?

Malapropisms and puns are similar, but they have key differences:

  • Malapropisms are usually unintentional on the part of the speaker or character. They typically don’t aim to highlight double meanings.
  • Puns are typically used deliberately. They rely on multiple meanings of the same word (or similar-sounding words) to achieve a double entendre.