# ahead vs ahem

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### ahead
*adverb · IPA /əˈhɛd/ · frequency rank #1,038*
At or towards the front; in the direction one is facing or moving.

### ahem
*intj · IPA /əˈhɛm/ · frequency rank #20,828*
The sound of a quiet cough or of clearing one's throat.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ahead-vs-ahem