# gnaw vs goad

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### gnaw
*verb · IPA /nɔː/ · frequency rank #49,362*
To bite something persistently, especially something tough.

### goad
*noun · IPA /ɡəʊd/ · frequency rank #44,230*
A long, pointed stick used to prod animals.

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