# desolation vs devolution

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

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

### devolution
*noun · IPA /diːvəˈluːʃən/ · frequency rank #26,752*
A rolling down.

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