How to Pronounce Whole vs Hole

"whole" and "hole" are homophones — pronounced exactly the same: hohl (/hoʊl/). The "wh" is silent-h here, so they sound the same.

🟰 Same sound (homophones)

whole

/hoʊl/

Say it like: hohl

whole

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

If an accent sounds the same, your device is missing that voice — it falls back to the closest one.

Speed

Full pronunciation page for “whole” →

hole

/hoʊl/

Say it like: hohl

hole

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

If an accent sounds the same, your device is missing that voice — it falls back to the closest one.

Speed

Full pronunciation page for “hole” →

Frequently asked questions

Are "whole" and "hole" pronounced the same?

Yes. Both "whole" and "hole" are pronounced hohl (/hoʊl/) — they are homophones.

Why do people confuse "whole" and "hole"?

The extra "w" in whole is silent.

More commonly-confused pairs