# ow vs oy

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### ow
*intj · IPA /ˈaʊ/ · frequency rank #12,291*
Synonym of ouch (“cry of pain”).

### oy
*intj · IPA /ɔɪ/ · frequency rank #25,159*
An exclamation typically expressing mild frustration or expressing feelings of uncertainty or concern.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-09-03.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ow-vs-oy