Which to use
“möglicher” is an adjective and “möglichst” is an adverb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #9,421
- “möglicher” frequency rank
- #1,303
- “möglichst” frequency rank
- 10724
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | möglicher | möglichst |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Nominativ Singular Maskulinum der starken Flexion des Adjektivs möglich | so gut, so schnell, so groß und Ähnliches sich etwas einrichten/machen lässt |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set möglicher and möglichst apart are highlighted. They share 7 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: möglicher is [ˈmøːklɪçɐ] while möglichst is [ˈmøːklɪçst]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions, and the parts of speech differ too (adjective vs adverb), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 10724, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
möglicher is recorded at frequency rank #9,421, classified as anadj, pronounced [ˈmøːklɪçɐ]. möglichst is at rank #1,303, tagged as anadv, pronounced [ˈmøːklɪçst].
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 10724, this pair ranks #1,973,642 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of möglicher vs möglichst
Shared letters: cghilmö. Private to "möglicher": er. Private to "möglichst": st.
"möglicher" · 9 letters · shape CVCCVCCVC · "möglichst" · 9 letters · shape CVCCVCCCC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "möglicher" and "möglichst" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "möglicher" or "möglichst"?
Remembering möglicher vs möglichst
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need an adjective, it's “möglicher”; for an adverb, it's “möglichst”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “möglicher” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable