# decoration vs desolation

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### decoration
*noun · IPA /ˌdɛkəˈɹeɪʃən/ · frequency rank #9,315*
The act of adorning, embellishing, or honoring; ornamentation.

### desolation
*noun · IPA /ˌdɛsəˈleɪʃən/ · frequency rank #27,804*
The act of desolating or laying waste; destruction of inhabitants; depopulation.

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