# explode vs explore

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### explode
*verb · IPA /ɪkˈspləʊd/ · frequency rank #9,605*
To fly apart with sudden violent force; to blow up, to burst, to detonate, to go off.

### explore
*verb · IPA /ɪkˈsplɔː/ · frequency rank #4,234*
To seek for something or after someone.

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