# stay vs swab

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### stay
*verb · IPA /steɪ/ · frequency rank #473*
To remain in a particular place, especially for a definite or short period of time; sojourn; abide.

### swab
*noun · IPA /swɒb/ · frequency rank #35,972*
A small piece of soft, absorbent material, such as gauze, used to clean wounds, apply medicine, or take samples of body fluids. Often attached to a stick or wire to aid access.

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