# aching vs acting

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### aching
*verb · IPA /ˈeɪ.kɪŋ/ · frequency rank #19,750*
present participle and gerund of ache

### acting
*adjective · IPA /ˈæk.tɪŋ/ · frequency rank #1,588*
Temporarily assuming the duties or authority of another person when they are unable to do their job.

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