chockvsclockWhat's the difference?

Which to use

“chock” and “clock” are a confusable English pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#34,430
“chock” frequency rank
#3,414
“clock” frequency rank
37844
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature chock clock
Definition Any object used as a wedge or filler, especially when placed behind a wheel to prevent it from rolling. A chronometer, an instrument that measures time, particularly the time of day.

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set chock and clock apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

5 ch
chock
5 ch
clock

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

chock and clock form a confusable pair in the English index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by a single letter - h in “chock” becomes l in “clock” - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 37844, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

chock is recorded at frequency rank #34,430, classified as anoun, pronounced /tʃɒk/. clock is at rank #3,414, tagged as anoun, pronounced /klɒk/.

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 37844, this pair ranks #290,981 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Frequency comparison

chock#34,430
clock#3,414

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "chock" and "clock" be used interchangeably?
No, "chock" and "clock" have distinct meanings and cannot be swapped without changing the meaning of a sentence. Understanding the specific definition and context for each word is essential for correct usage.

Remembering chock vs clock

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 “chock” entry
  • Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list