# wave vs wipe

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### wave
*verb · IPA /weɪv/ · frequency rank #2,423*
To move back and forth repeatedly and somewhat loosely.

### wipe
*verb · IPA /waɪp/ · frequency rank #7,086*
To move an object over, maintaining contact, with the intention of removing some substance from the surface. (Compare rub.)

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