# grains vs grating

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### grains
*noun · IPA /ɡɹeɪnz/ · frequency rank #11,221*
Pigeons' dung used in tanning. See grainer.

### grating
*adjective · IPA /ˈɡɹeɪtɪŋ/ · frequency rank #24,175*
Harsh and unpleasant.

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