What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
pancaking
Example
The weight of the books caused them to pancake on the shelf. [pancaking: verb]
Example
The snow was so heavy that it started pancaking on the roof. [pancaking: gerund or present participle]
heaping
Example
She served herself a heaping plate of food at the buffet. [heaping: adjective]
Example
He kept heaping more and more logs onto the fire. [heaping: present participle]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Heaping is more commonly used than pancaking in everyday language. Heaping is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while pancaking is less common and typically used in technical or specialized contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between pancaking and heaping?
Both pancaking and heaping are relatively informal words, but pancaking may be considered more technical or specialized due to its association with compression and flattening.
