# polite vs pollute

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### polite
*adjective · IPA /pəˈlaɪt/ · frequency rank #8,074*
Well-mannered, civilized.

### pollute
*verb · IPA /pəˈluːt/ · frequency rank #34,640*
To make something harmful, especially by the addition of some unwanted product.

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