# filing vs flailing

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### filing
*noun · IPA /ˈfaɪ.lɪŋ/ · frequency rank #6,572*
Any particle that has been removed by a file or similar implement; a shaving.

### flailing
*verb · IPA /ˈfleɪlɪŋ/ · frequency rank #34,057*
present participle and gerund of flail

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