# decay vs delay

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

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

### 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/decay-vs-delay