# short vs start

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### short
*adjective · IPA /ʃɔːt/ · frequency rank #472*
Having a small distance from one end or edge to another, either horizontally or vertically.

### start
*noun · IPA /stɑːt/ · frequency rank #248*
The beginning of an activity.

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