# needs vs needy

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### needs
*adverb · IPA /niːdz/ · frequency rank #422*
Either directly or indirectly preceded or followed by an auxiliary verb, often must: of necessity or need; necessarily, indispensably.

### needy
*adjective · IPA /ˈniːdi/ · frequency rank #13,388*
In need; poor.

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