string and strong differ by a single letter, buried far enough into the word to be easy to miss. string means “a lightweight cord”. strong means “having strength or power greater than average or expected”. strong is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈstɹɪŋ/
1.n.a lightweight cord
2.n.stringed instruments that are played with a bow
“the strings played superlatively well”
3.n.a tightly stretched cord of wire or gut, as a part of an instrument or a tennis racket
/ˈstɹɔŋ/
1.adj.having strength or power greater than average or expected
“a strong radio signal”
2.adj.not faint or feeble
“a strong odor of burning rubber”
3.adj.having or wielding force or authority
“providing the ground soldier with increasingly potent weapons”
| string | strong | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈstɹɪŋ/ | /ˈstɹɔŋ/ |
| Said | string | strawng |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Letters | 6 | 6 |
| Parts of speech | noun, verb | adjective |
| Senses | 17 | 10 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | twine | none recorded |
Full entry for string · Full entry for strong · More comparisons