# scalding vs scathing

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### scalding
*adjective · frequency rank #46,758*
Hot enough to burn.

### scathing
*verb · IPA /ˈskeɪðɪŋ/ · frequency rank #30,215*
present participle and gerund of scathe

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