scrapevsscriptTell them apart

Quick tell: scrape is a verb, script is a noun, so they fill different roles in a sentence.

Which to use

“scrape” is a verb and “script” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.

#17,236
“scrape” frequency rank
#3,908
“script” frequency rank
21144
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature scrape script
Definition To draw (an object, especially a sharp or angular one), along (something) while exerting pressure. A writing; a written document.

Where the eye mixes scrape and script

Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 4 letters in sequence.

6 ch
scrape
6 ch
script

Why the eye confuses scrape with script

These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: scrape is /skɹeɪp/ while script is /skɹɪpt/. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions, and the parts of speech differ too (verb vs noun), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 21144, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

scrape is recorded at frequency rank #17,236, classified as averb, pronounced /skɹeɪp/. script is at rank #3,908, tagged as anoun, pronounced /skɹɪpt/.

Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.

With a confusion score of 21144, this pair ranks #426,069 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of scrape vs script

Shared letters: cprs. Private to "scrape": ae. Private to "script": it.

"scrape" · 6 letters · shape CCCVCV  ·  "script" · 6 letters · shape CCCVCC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • scrapecsrape · scarpe · sccrape · scraep · scrappe · scrpae · scrrape · srcape
  • scriptcsript · sccript · scirpt · scrippt · scriptt · scritp · scrpit · scrript

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "scrape" and "script" be used interchangeably?
No - they are not even the same part of speech. "scrape" is a verb and "script" a noun, so a sentence built for one is usually ungrammatical with the other.
Frequency check: "scrape" vs "script" - which ranks higher?
"script" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #3,908 in our English list, against #17,236 for "scrape". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

After this comparison

Eye-level mix-up between "scrape" and "script" is sorted above. Next: full entries or other pairs that share a letter shape.

  • Full dictionary entry for "scrape" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
  • Full dictionary entry for "script" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
  • This pair ranks #426,069 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
  • "scrape" and "script" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "scrape vs scrip". Nearby pair
  • Recorded mistypes exist for at least one side of this pair, useful when a spell-checker or OCR lands on the wrong form. See mistypes

Confusion rank #426,069 of 530,003 scored English pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list