# derail vs drain

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### derail
*noun · IPA /ˌdəˈɹeɪ.əl/ · frequency rank #26,059*
Synonym of derailer: A device placed on railway tracks in order to cause a train to derail.

### drain
*noun · IPA /dɹeɪn/ · frequency rank #6,353*
A conduit allowing liquid to flow out of an otherwise contained volume; a plughole (UK)

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