# sterling vs swelling

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### sterling
*noun · IPA /ˈstɜːlɪŋ/ · frequency rank #5,842*
An English silver penny first introduced by the Normans.

### swelling
*noun · IPA /ˈswɛl.ɪŋ/ · frequency rank #11,621*
The state of being swollen.

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