# dead vs decay

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### dead
*adjective · IPA /dɛd/ · frequency rank #652*
No longer living; deceased. (Also used as a noun.)

### decay
*noun · IPA /dɪˈkeɪ/ · frequency rank #9,160*
Rot; any processes or result of organic matter being gradually decomposed, especially by microbial action.

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