# alas vs alto

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### alas
*intj · IPA /əˈlæs/ · frequency rank #11,647*
Used to express sorrow, regret, compassion, grief, resignation, or disappointment.

### alto
*noun · IPA /ˈæl.təʊ/ · frequency rank #15,565*
A musical part or section higher than tenor and lower than soprano, formerly the part that performed a countermelody above the tenor or main melody.

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