# wench vs winch

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### wench
*noun · IPA /wɛnt͡ʃ/ · frequency rank #43,464*
A girl or young woman, especially a buxom or lively one.

### winch
*noun · IPA /wɪnt͡ʃ/ · frequency rank #27,701*
A machine consisting of a drum on an axle, a friction brake or ratchet and pawl, and a crank handle or prime mover (often an electric or hydraulic motor), with or without gearing, to give increased mechanical advantage when hoisting or hauling on a rope or cable.

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