Have you ever wanted to text a friend and invite them to play tennis with you, but hesitated because you weren’t sure whether to remind them to bring a racket or a racquet?
Have you ever been annoyed at the children making loud noises on your front lawn, but didn’t write a sternly worded letter to their parents because you didn’t know if the cacophony was a racket or a racquet?
Have you ever recognized a fraudulent or extortionate business, but didn’t write a Yelp review because you couldn’t remember whether to accuse its proprietor of running a racquet or a racket?
If you fall into any of these three camps, you’re not alone. Many Americans aren’t sure if racket or racquet is correct in these contexts. This article will differentiate between these spellings so you can send that text, write that letter, and leave that scalding Yelp review.
What is the Difference Between Racket and Racquet?
In this article, I will compare racket vs. racquet. I will use each word in a sentence, and, after that, I will show you a useful trick to help you choose racquet or racket in your writing.
When to Use Racket
What does racket mean? Believe it or not, racket is correct in all of the above contexts. Racket is a noun that can refer to a variety of concepts.
Racket can mean a piece of sporting gear used in many net games.
Racket can also mean an illegitimate business that relies on bribery or intimidation.
Racket might also mean a clamor of loud or intrusive noises.
Here are some examples of the correct usage of racket:
- Masha brings her own racket to badminton practice.
- Sean is pretty sure universal healthcare is a government racket.
- Abigail dropped the box of plates down the stairs, causing a racket.
- Sticking competitors with the cost of relabeling or reformulating products is a way to narrow the price differential between organic and traditional fare. Then again, organic food is a religion as well as a racket: The Center for Food Safety and others want to eliminate genetically engineered crops. –The Wall Street Journal
When to Use Racquet
What does racquet mean? Racquet is sometimes used in the sporting gear sense of racket. It is ornamental language, used to grant a higher level of prestige to certain leagues or associations. In some cases, a specific form of a net sport played between two or four players is called racquetball, as well.
Here are some examples:
- The Northwestern Racquet and Social Club cordially invites you to attend the festivities of its annual opening day ceremony.
- I want to play racquetball, but I don’t have one or three other players to join me.
- Someone broke into the office at the Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club overnight Aug. 7 and stole $75 from the club’s cash register. –Palm Coast Observer
Racquet is never used outside of sports. It is incorrect in the context of a disreputable business or clatter of noise.
Trick to Remember the Difference
If you still aren’t sure you can keep track of racquet vs. racket, here is helpful tip to remember the difference.
Racket is always correct, in any of the above contexts.
Racquet is only used in the context of sports, usually the sport of racquetball and squash.
You can remember to avoid racquet in non-sports contexts by noticing the Q that it shares with the word quirky. Racquet is quirky, and is only used in the contexts of sports. Stick with racket in all other contexts.
Summary
Is it racket vs. racquet? Now that you know the difference between racket and racquet, you will be able to accurately describe the gear you need to play tennis or badminton, a continuously distracting commotion, or a fraudulent business practice.
These are all examples of rackets, though in much different senses of the word.
Racquet is only used in the context of sporting goods.
To summarize,
- Racket is accurate to use in all contexts of the word.
- Racquet is only used in sporting contexts
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