# impotence vs impotent

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### impotence
*noun · IPA /ˈɪmpətəns/ · frequency rank #30,456*
Powerlessness; incapacity.

### impotent
*adjective · IPA /ˈɪm.pə.tənt/ · frequency rank #27,509*
Lacking physical strength or vigor; weak

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