# kept vs key

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### kept
*verb · IPA /ˈkɛpt/ · frequency rank #1,086*
simple past and past participle of keep

### key
*noun · IPA /kiː/ · frequency rank #788*
An object designed to open and close a lock.

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