# cleave vs cleaver

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

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

### cleaver
*noun · IPA /ˈklivɚ/ · frequency rank #27,402*
A squarish, heavy knife used by butchers for hacking through bones, etc.

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