# deaf vs delay

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### deaf
*adjective · IPA /dɛf/ · frequency rank #7,214*
Unable (or partially able) to hear.

### delay
*noun · IPA /dɪˈleɪ/ · frequency rank #3,618*
A period of time before an event occurs; the act of delaying; procrastination; lingering inactivity.

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