# retarded vs returned

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### retarded
*adjective · IPA /ɹɪˈtɑːdɪd/ · frequency rank #10,755*
Delayed; delayed in development, hindered; impeded.

### returned
*verb · IPA /ɹɪˈtəːnd/ · frequency rank #1,613*
simple past and past participle of return

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