# tear vs tenor

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### tear
*verb · IPA /tɛə/ · frequency rank #3,985*
To rend (a solid material) by holding or restraining in two places and pulling apart, whether intentionally or not; to destroy or separate.

### tenor
*noun · IPA /ˈtɛnə(ɹ)/ · frequency rank #17,259*
A musical range or section higher than bass and lower than alto.

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