# desist vs devise

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### desist
*verb · IPA /dɪˈsɪst/ · frequency rank #27,120*
To cease to proceed or act; to stop (often with from).

### devise
*verb · IPA /dɪˈvaɪz/ · frequency rank #22,645*
To use one’s intellect to plan or design (something).

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