# decide vs defile

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

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

### defile
*verb · IPA /dɪˈfaɪl/ · frequency rank #44,153*
To make (someone or something) physically dirty or unclean; to befoul, to soil.

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