# veil vs vigil

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### veil
*noun · IPA /veɪl/ · frequency rank #11,994*
Something hung up or spread out to hide or protect the face, or hide an object from view; usually of gauze, crepe, or similar diaphanous material.

### vigil
*noun · IPA /ˈvɪd͡ʒəl/ · frequency rank #21,407*
An instance of keeping awake during normal sleeping hours, especially to keep watch or pray.

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