Sound-alike words
Hoard vs. Horde
Hoard means a hidden store of something, or to collect and keep things, often more than you need. Horde means a large, loose crowd of people or animals. Squirrels hoard nuts; a horde of shoppers fills the mall.
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| hoard | verb | to collect and store a supply of something, often secretly or in larger amounts than you need |
| noun | a hidden or carefully saved supply of money, food or valuable things | |
| horde | noun | a large crowd of people or animals, often moving together or making noise |
Hoard
verb: to collect and store a supply of something, often secretly or in larger amounts than you need
- During the storm warning, some people hoarded bottled water and batteries.
- My grandfather hoards old newspapers in the garage.
noun: a hidden or carefully saved supply of money, food or valuable things
- Hikers found a hoard of old silver coins buried near the trail.
- Leo keeps a hoard of snacks in his desk drawer.
Horde
noun: a large crowd of people or animals, often moving together or making noise
- A horde of fans waited outside the stadium after the game.
- Hordes of mosquitoes came out as soon as the sun went down.
How to remember the difference
Hoard has an A, as in a stash of cash. Horde has an E, as in a herd of people.
Good to know
Horde is only a noun, so you can never horde something. The verb hoard often hints at selfishness or panic buying.
Spot the mistake
Some shoppers tried to
hordehoard paper towels before the storm.Correct: Some shoppers tried to hoard paper towels before the storm.
A
hoardhorde of tourists crowded onto the small ferry.Correct: A horde of tourists crowded onto the small ferry.
Check yourself
Pick the word that fits each sentence.
1. The dragon in the story slept on a of gold.
Answer: hoard. This is a saved store of treasure, so the word is hoard.
2. A of children rushed into the gym when the bell rang.
Answer: horde. This is a large crowd of people, so the word is horde.