Which to use
“smile” is a verb and “still” is an adjective - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #17,641
- “smile” frequency rank
- #12,563
- “still” frequency rank
- 30204
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | smile | still |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | sorrir | silencioso |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set smile and still apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: smile is * /smiːlø/])]] while still is /ʃtɪl/ ouvir^(fonte ?). Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions, and the parts of speech differ too (verb vs adjective), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 30204, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
smile is recorded at frequency rank #17,641, classified as averb, pronounced * /smiːlø/])]]. still is at rank #12,563, tagged as anadj, pronounced /ʃtɪl/ ouvir^(fonte ?).
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 30204, this pair ranks #38,229 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of smile vs still
Shared letters: ils. Private to "smile": em. Private to "still": t.
"smile" · 5 letters · shape CCVCV · "still" · 5 letters · shape CCVCC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "smile" and "still" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "smile" or "still"?
Remembering smile vs still
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “smile”; for an adjective, it's “still”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “smile” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable