Which to use
“lest” and “let” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #18,316
- “lest” frequency rank
- #11,088
- “let” frequency rank
- 29404
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | lest | let |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | 2. Person Plural Imperativ Präsens Aktiv des Verbs lesen | lassen |
Where the eye mixes lest and let
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 3 letters in sequence.
Look-alike desk: lest vs let
A purely visual mix-up. lest ([leːst]) and let ([lɛt]) 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 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 29404, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
lest is recorded at frequency rank #18,316, classified as averb, pronounced [leːst]. let is at rank #11,088, tagged as averb, pronounced [lɛt].
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 29404, this pair ranks #1,767,419 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of lest vs let
Shared letters: elt. Private to "lest": s. Private to "let": -.
"lest" · 4 letters · shape CVCC · "let" · 3 letters · shape CVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- lest ← elst · lesst · lestt · llest · lset
Frequently Asked Questions
Do "lest" and "let" mean the same thing in a sentence?
Frequency check: "lest" vs "let" - which ranks higher?
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 "lest" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "let" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,767,419 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "lest" and "let" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "Lees vs lest". Nearby pair
- 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 #1,767,419 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.