# tangent vs target

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### tangent
*noun · IPA /ˈtæn.d͡ʒənt/ · frequency rank #22,835*
A straight line touching a curve at a single point without crossing it there.

### target
*noun · IPA /ˈtɑː.ɡɪt/ · frequency rank #1,619*
A butt or mark to shoot at, as for practice, or to test the accuracy of a firearm, or the force of a projectile.

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