# decibel vs decide

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### decibel
*noun · IPA /ˈdɛsɪbɛl/ · frequency rank #49,863*
A common measure of intensity ratio (e.g. for sound) that is one tenth of a bel on the logarithmic intensity scale. It is defined as dB = 10 log₁₀(P₁ / P₂), where P₁ and P₂ are the relative intensities.

### decide
*verb · IPA /dɪˈsaɪd/ · frequency rank #1,715*
To resolve (a contest, problem, dispute, etc.); to choose, determine, or settle.

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