# sphincter vs spinster

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### sphincter
*noun · IPA /ˈsfɪŋk.tɚ/ · frequency rank #39,102*
A ringlike band of muscle that surrounds a bodily opening (such as the anus or the openings of the stomach), constricting and relaxing as required for normal physiological functioning.

### spinster
*noun · IPA /ˈspɪnstə/ · frequency rank #42,416*
A woman who has never been married, especially one past the typical marrying age according to social traditions.

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