# cleaver vs clever

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

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

### clever
*adjective · IPA /ˈklɛv.ə/ · frequency rank #5,014*
Nimble with hands or body; dexterous; skillful; adept.

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