# release vs reverse

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### release
*noun · IPA /ɹəˈliːs/ · frequency rank #856*
The event of setting (someone or something) free (e.g. hostages, slaves, prisoners, caged animals, hooked or stuck mechanisms).

### reverse
*adjective · IPA /ɹɪˈvɜːs/ · frequency rank #3,843*
Opposite, contrary; going in the opposite direction.

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