Which to use
“ache” and “ake” are a confusable English pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #16,397
- “ache” frequency rank
- #46,292
- “ake” frequency rank
- 62689
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | ache | ake |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | To suffer pain; to be the source of, or be in, pain, especially continued dull pain; to be distressed. | Obsolete spelling of ache. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set ache and ake apart are highlighted. They share 2 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
This is the hard kind. ache and ake are pronounced identically (/ˈeɪk/) and both work as averb. Neither the ear nor the grammar will rescue you; only the meaning does, so the glosses below are the whole decision. They differ by 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 62689, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
ache is recorded at frequency rank #16,397, classified as averb, pronounced /ˈeɪk/. ake is at rank #46,292, tagged as averb, pronounced /eɪk/.
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 62689, this pair ranks #87,073 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.
Orthographic DNA of ache vs ake
Shared letters: ae. Private to "ache": ch. Private to "ake": k.
"ache" · 4 letters · shape VCCV · "ake" · 3 letters · shape VCV
Known mistypes of this pair
- ache ← achhe · ahce · cahe
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "ache" and "ake" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "ache" or "ake"?
Remembering ache vs ake
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “ache” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable