# rake vs rife

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### rake
*noun · IPA /ɹeɪk/ · frequency rank #17,699*
A garden tool with a row of pointed teeth fixed to a long handle, used for collecting debris, grass, etc., for flattening the ground, or for loosening soil; also, a similar wheel-mounted tool drawn by a horse or a tractor.

### rife
*adjective · IPA /ɹaɪf/ · frequency rank #23,975*
Widespread, common, prevalent, current (mainly of unpleasant or harmful things).

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