# cleanse vs cleave

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### cleanse
*verb · IPA /klɛnz/ · frequency rank #15,586*
To free from dirt; to clean, to purify.

### 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/cleanse-vs-cleave