What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
rancid
Example
The butter in the fridge has gone rancid. [rancid: adjective]
Example
The rancid smell of the oil made me nauseous. [rancid: adjective]
stale
Example
The bread is stale and hard to chew. [stale: adjective]
Example
The air in the room was stale and stuffy. [stale: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Stale is more commonly used than rancid in everyday language. Stale is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while rancid is less common and is typically used to describe specific situations where spoilage or decay has occurred.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between rancid and stale?
Both rancid and stale are considered informal and are not typically used in formal writing or speech.
