Which to use
“Sanktion” and “Sanktionen” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #36,002
- “Sanktion” frequency rank
- #5,757
- “Sanktionen” frequency rank
- 41759
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Sanktion | Sanktionen |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Bestätigung, Rechtfertigung | Nominativ Plural des Substantivs Sanktion |
Where the eye mixes Sanktion and Sanktionen
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 8 letters in sequence. Sanktion runs 8 letters (CVCCCVVC) against Sanktionen's 10 (CVCCCVVCVC) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.
Why the eye confuses Sanktion with Sanktionen
A purely visual mix-up. Sanktion ([zaŋkˈt͡si̯oːn]) and Sanktionen ([zaŋkˈt͡si̯oːnən]) 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 extra letter(s) - “Sanktion” sits inside “Sanktionen”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 41759, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Sanktion is recorded at frequency rank #36,002, classified as anoun, pronounced [zaŋkˈt͡si̯oːn]. Sanktionen is at rank #5,757, tagged as anoun, pronounced [zaŋkˈt͡si̯oːnən].
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 41759, this pair ranks #1,469,942 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of Sanktion vs Sanktionen
Shared letters: aiknost. Private to "Sanktion": -. Private to "Sanktionen": e.
"Sanktion" · 8 letters · shape CVCCCVVC · "Sanktionen" · 10 letters · shape CVCCCVVCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- Sanktion ← asnktion · sakntion · sankiton · sankktion · sanktino · sanktionn · sanktoin · sankttion
- Sanktionen ← asnktionen · sakntionen · sankitonen · sankktionen · sanktinoen · sanktioenn · sanktionenn · sanktionne
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "Sanktion" for "Sanktionen" ever safe?
Frequency check: "Sanktion" vs "Sanktionen" - 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 "Sanktion" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "Sanktionen" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,469,942 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "Sanktion" and "Sanktionen" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "Sanktion vs Sektion". 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 #1,469,942 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.