# ache vs ashy

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### ache
*verb · IPA /ˈeɪk/ · frequency rank #16,397*
To suffer pain; to be the source of, or be in, pain, especially continued dull pain; to be distressed.

### ashy
*adjective · IPA /ˈæʃi/ · frequency rank #48,599*
Resembling ashes (especially in colour); (of a person’s complexion) unusually pale as a result of strong emotion, illness, etc.

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