# pause vs pays

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### pause
*verb · IPA /pɔːz/ · frequency rank #7,166*
To take a temporary rest, take a break for a short period after an effort.

### pays
*verb · IPA /peɪz/ · frequency rank #4,622*
third-person singular simple present indicative of pay

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