Faze vs. Phase: Disturb or Stage?

The Basics

• Faze = to disturb or unsettle someone
• Phase = a stage, period, or step in a process

Using Faze

“Faze” means to bother or disconcert:

• “Nothing seems to faze her.” ✓
• “The criticism didn’t faze him at all.” ✓
• “Loud noises don’t faze the baby anymore.” ✓
• “She remained unfazed by the chaos.” ✓

Note: “Faze” is almost always used in negative constructions.

Using Phase

“Phase” refers to a distinct period or stage:

As a noun:

• “The project is in its final phase.” ✓
• “It’s just a phase—teenagers go through them.” ✓
• “The moon enters a new phase each week.” ✓

As a verb (phase in/out):

• “The company will phase out the old product.” ✓
• “New features will be phased in gradually.” ✓

Memory Trick

• Faze = affects your feelings (both have an “a” relating to emotional impact)
• Phase = a period of time (like the “ph” in “phone,” which also relates to technical terms)

Common Error

• “It didn’t phase me.” ✗ → “It didn’t faze me.” ✓