# real vs reef

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### real
*adjective · IPA /ɹiːl/ · frequency rank #229*
True, genuine, not merely nominal or apparent.

### reef
*noun · IPA /ɹiːf/ · frequency rank #9,240*
A chain or range of rocks, sand, or coral lying at or near the surface of the water.

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