Which to use
“entgegensetzen” and “entgegenzusetzen” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #40,506
- “entgegensetzen” frequency rank
- #34,617
- “entgegenzusetzen” frequency rank
- 75123
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | entgegensetzen | entgegenzusetzen |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | ein Hindernis gegen etwas/jemanden aufstellen | erweiterter Infinitiv Aktiv des Verbs entgegensetzen |
Where the eye mixes entgegensetzen and entgegenzusetzen
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 14 letters in sequence. entgegensetzen runs 14 letters (VCCCVCVCCVCCVC) against entgegenzusetzen's 16 (VCCCVCVCCVCVCCVC) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.
Visual trap between entgegensetzen and entgegenzusetzen
A purely visual mix-up. entgegensetzen ([ɛntˈɡeːɡn̩ˌzɛt͡sn̩]) and entgegenzusetzen ([ɛntˈɡeːɡn̩t͡suˌzɛt͡sn̩]) 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 2 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 75123, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
entgegensetzen is recorded at frequency rank #40,506, classified as averb, pronounced [ɛntˈɡeːɡn̩ˌzɛt͡sn̩]. entgegenzusetzen is at rank #34,617, tagged as averb, pronounced [ɛntˈɡeːɡn̩t͡suˌzɛt͡sn̩].
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 75123, this pair ranks #315,905 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.
Orthographic DNA of entgegensetzen vs entgegenzusetzen
Shared letters: egnstz. Private to "entgegensetzen": -. Private to "entgegenzusetzen": u.
"entgegensetzen" · 14 letters · shape VCCCVCVCCVCCVC · "entgegenzusetzen" · 16 letters · shape VCCCVCVCCVCVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- entgegensetzen ← engtegensetzen · enntgegensetzen · enteggensetzen · entgeegnsetzen · entgegenestzen · entgegennsetzen · entgegensetezn · entgegensettzen
- entgegenzusetzen ← engtegenzusetzen · enntgegenzusetzen · enteggenzusetzen · entgeegnzusetzen · entgegennzusetzen · entgegenuzsetzen · entgegenzsuetzen · entgegenzuestzen
Frequently Asked Questions
Do "entgegensetzen" and "entgegenzusetzen" mean the same thing in a sentence?
Frequency check: "entgegensetzen" vs "entgegenzusetzen" - which ranks higher?
What to do next
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "entgegensetzen" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "entgegenzusetzen" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #315,905 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- Recorded mistypes exist for at least one side of this pair, useful when a spell-checker or OCR lands on the wrong form. See mistypes
Confusion rank #315,905 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.