# beam vs break

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### beam
*noun · IPA /biːm/ · frequency rank #5,659*
Any large piece of timber or iron long in proportion to its thickness, and prepared for use.

### break
*verb · IPA /bɹeɪk/ · frequency rank #670*
To separate into two or more pieces, to fracture or crack, by a process that cannot easily be reversed for reassembly.

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