# dash vs desk

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### dash
*noun · IPA /dæʃ/ · frequency rank #7,116*
Any of the following symbols: ‒ (figure dash), – (en dash), — (em dash), or ― (horizontal bar).

### desk
*noun · IPA /dɛsk/ · frequency rank #3,423*
A table, frame, or case, in past centuries usually with a sloping top but now usually with a flat top, for the use of writers and readers. It often has a drawer or repository underneath.

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