# abate vs able

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### abate
*verb · IPA /əˈbeɪt/ · frequency rank #42,506*
To lessen (something) in force or intensity; to moderate.

### able
*adjective · IPA /ˈeɪ.bl̩/ · frequency rank #352*
Having the necessary powers or the needed resources to accomplish a task.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/abate-vs-able