# pain vs pay

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### pain
*noun · IPA /peɪn/ · frequency rank #996*
An ache or bodily suffering, or an instance of this; an unpleasant sensation, resulting from a derangement of functions, disease, or injury by violence; hurt.

### pay
*verb · IPA /peɪ/ · frequency rank #390*
To give money or other compensation to in exchange for goods or services.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-09-03.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pain-vs-pay