Which to use
“re” is a particle and “run” is a verb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #4,150
- “re” frequency rank
- #8,773
- “run” frequency rank
- 12923
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | re | run |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | beim Solmisieren oder Solfeggieren benutzte Silbe zum Singen eines bestimmten Tons aus der Tonleiter | sich schnell zu Fuß bewegen; rennen, eilen |
Where the eye mixes re and run
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 1 letter in sequence.
Visual trap between re and run
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: re is [ʁeː] while run is [rʌn]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (particle vs verb), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 12923, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
re is recorded at frequency rank #4,150, classified as aparticle, pronounced [ʁeː]. run is at rank #8,773, tagged as averb, pronounced [rʌn].
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 12923, this pair ranks #1,961,195 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of re vs run
Shared letters: r. Private to "re": e. Private to "run": nu.
"re" · 2 letters · shape CV · "run" · 3 letters · shape CVC
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "re" for "run" ever safe?
Frequency check: "re" vs "run" - which ranks higher?
What to do next
Pronunciation already separates them, if the page still looks alike, the dictionary links below settle it.
- Full dictionary entry for "re" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "run" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,961,195 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "re" and "run" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "RUB vs run". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #1,961,195 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.