# spank vs spasm

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### spank
*verb · IPA /ˈspæŋk/ · frequency rank #26,258*
To beat, smack or slap a person's buttocks, with the bare hand or other object, as punishment, or for sexual gratification.

### spasm
*noun · IPA /ˈspæz.m̩/ · frequency rank #35,950*
A sudden, involuntary contraction of a muscle, a group of muscles, or a hollow organ.

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