Which to use
“Ablehnung” and “Anlehnung” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #5,055
- “Ablehnung” frequency rank
- #11,002
- “Anlehnung” frequency rank
- 16057
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Ablehnung | Anlehnung |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | negative Reaktion auf eine Sache oder eine Person; Zurückweisung oder Abneigung gegen etwas | Beziehung, bei der sich jemand oder etwas von der anderen Seite Halt geben/unterstützen lässt |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Ablehnung and Anlehnung apart are highlighted. They share 8 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. Ablehnung ([ˈapˌleːnʊŋ]) and Anlehnung ([ˈanˌleːnʊŋ]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by a single letter - b in “Ablehnung” becomes n in “Anlehnung”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 16057, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Ablehnung is recorded at frequency rank #5,055, classified as anoun, pronounced [ˈapˌleːnʊŋ]. Anlehnung is at rank #11,002, tagged as anoun, pronounced [ˈanˌleːnʊŋ].
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 16057, this pair ranks #1,938,954 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of Ablehnung vs Anlehnung
Shared letters: aeghlnu. Private to "Ablehnung": b. Private to "Anlehnung": -.
"Ablehnung" · 9 letters · shape VCCVCCVCC · "Anlehnung" · 9 letters · shape VCCVCCVCC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "Ablehnung" and "Anlehnung" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "Ablehnung" or "Anlehnung"?
Remembering Ablehnung vs Anlehnung
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “Ablehnung” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable