# expression vs expressive

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### expression
*noun · IPA /əkˈspɹɛʃ.n̩/ · frequency rank #2,734*
The action of expressing thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc.

### expressive
*adjective · IPA /ɪkˈspɹɛsɪv/ · frequency rank #16,467*
Effectively conveying thought or feeling.

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