# scab vs sham

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### scab
*noun · IPA /skæb/ · frequency rank #37,672*
An incrustation over a sore, wound, vesicle, or pustule, formed during healing.

### sham
*adjective · IPA /ʃæm/ · frequency rank #16,126*
Intended to deceive; false.

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