# rotten vs route

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### rotten
*adjective · IPA /ˈɹɒtn̩/ · frequency rank #9,531*
Of perishable items, overridden with bacteria and other infectious agents.

### route
*noun · IPA /ɹuːt/ · frequency rank #2,176*
A course or way which is traveled or passed.

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