# lack vs lick

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### lack
*noun · IPA /læk/ · frequency rank #1,274*
A deficiency or need (of something desirable or necessary); an absence, want, dearth.

### lick
*verb · IPA /lɪk/ · frequency rank #10,076*
To stroke with the tongue.

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