# effort vs extort

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### effort
*noun · IPA /ˈɛf.ət/ · frequency rank #1,268*
The work involved in performing an activity; exertion.

### extort
*verb · IPA /ɪkˈstɔː(ɹ)t/ · frequency rank #36,136*
To take or seize from an unwilling person by physical force, menace, duress, torture, or any undue or illegal exercise of power or ingenuity.

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