# spark vs start

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### spark
*noun · IPA /spɑɹk/ · frequency rank #7,290*
A small particle of glowing matter, either molten or on fire, resulting from an electrical surge or excessive heat created by friction.

### 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/spark-vs-start