# reef vs riff

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### 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.

### riff
*noun · IPA /ɹɪf/ · frequency rank #17,229*
A repeated melody line in a song, usually instrumental but sometimes vocal.

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