# idle vs idly

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### idle
*adjective · IPA /ˈaɪd(ə)l/ · frequency rank #11,235*
Empty, vacant.

### idly
*adverb · IPA /ˈaɪd(ə)lɪ/ · frequency rank #31,612*
Without specific purpose, intent or effort.

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