Which to use
“void” is an adjective and “vow” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #7,082
- “void” frequency rank
- #13,836
- “vow” frequency rank
- 20918
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | void | vow |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Containing nothing; empty; not occupied or filled. | A solemn promise to perform some act, or behave in a specified manner, especially a promise to live and act in accordance with the rules of a religious order. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set void and vow apart are highlighted. They share 2 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
void and vow form a confusable pair in the English index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by 1 letter(s) in length - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 20918, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
void is recorded at frequency rank #7,082, classified as anadj, pronounced /vɔɪd/. vow is at rank #13,836, tagged as anoun, pronounced /vaʊ/.
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 20918, this pair ranks #427,731 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "void" and "vow" be used interchangeably?
Remembering void vs vow
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need an adjective, it's “void”; for a noun, it's “vow”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “void” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable