Which to use
“knob” and “knock” are a confusable English pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #15,203
- “knob” frequency rank
- #3,956
- “knock” frequency rank
- 19159
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | knob | knock |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A rounded protuberance, especially one arising from a flat surface; a fleshy lump or caruncle. | An abrupt rapping sound, as from an impact of a hard object against wood. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set knob and knock apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. knob (/nɒb/) and knock (/nɒk/) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 19159, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
knob is recorded at frequency rank #15,203, classified as anoun, pronounced /nɒb/. knock is at rank #3,956, tagged as anoun, pronounced /nɒk/.
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 19159, this pair ranks #440,097 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of knob vs knock
Shared letters: kno. Private to "knob": b. Private to "knock": c.
"knob" · 4 letters · shape CCVC · "knock" · 5 letters · shape CCVCC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "knob" and "knock" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "knob" or "knock"?
Remembering knob vs knock
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “knob” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable