# diffraction vs distraction

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### diffraction
*noun · IPA /dɪˈfɹækʃən/ · frequency rank #27,123*
The bending of a wave around an obstacle.

### distraction
*noun · IPA /dɪsˈtɹæk.ʃən/ · frequency rank #9,876*
Something that distracts.

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