# STM vs sump

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### STM
*noun · frequency rank #38,181*
Initialism of scanning tunneling microscope.

### sump
*noun · IPA /sʌmp/ · frequency rank #41,400*
A hollow or pit into which liquid drains, such as a cesspool, cesspit or sink.

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