# cleaner vs cleave

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### cleaner
*noun · IPA /ˈkliː.nə/ · frequency rank #8,262*
A person whose occupation is to clean things, especially rooms, floors, and windows.

### cleave
*verb · IPA /kliːv/ · frequency rank #34,831*
To split or sever something with, or as if with, a sharp instrument.

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