Which to use
“LAN” is an abbrev and “lax” is an adjective - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #8,904
- “LAN” frequency rank
- #43,323
- “lax” frequency rank
- 52227
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | LAN | lax |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | lokales Computernetzwerk | nicht streng (in der Auslegung von Regeln) |
Where the eye mixes LAN and lax
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 2 letters in sequence.
Why the eye confuses LAN with lax
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: LAN is [laːn] while lax is [laks]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by a single letter - n in “LAN” becomes x in “lax”, and the parts of speech differ too (abbrev vs adjective), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 52227, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
LAN is recorded at frequency rank #8,904, classified as anabbrev, pronounced [laːn]. lax is at rank #43,323, tagged as anadj, pronounced [laks].
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 52227, this pair ranks #1,105,088 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of LAN vs lax
Shared letters: al. Private to "LAN": n. Private to "lax": x.
"LAN" · 3 letters · shape CVC · "lax" · 3 letters · shape CVC
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "LAN" for "lax" ever safe?
Which is more common, "LAN" or "lax"?
After this comparison
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "LAN" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "lax" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,105,088 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "LAN" and "lax" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "lame vs lax". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #1,105,088 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.