Which to use
“Sanktion” and “Sektion” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #36,002
- “Sanktion” frequency rank
- #8,782
- “Sektion” frequency rank
- 44784
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Sanktion | Sektion |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Bestätigung, Rechtfertigung | ein Teil eines Ganzen |
Where the eye mixes Sanktion and Sektion
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 6 letters in sequence. Sanktion runs 8 letters (CVCCCVVC) against Sektion's 7 (CVCCVVC) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.
Why the eye confuses Sanktion with Sektion
A purely visual mix-up. Sanktion ([zaŋkˈt͡si̯oːn]) and Sektion ([zɛkˈt͡si̯oːn]) 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 44784, 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]. Sektion is at rank #8,782, tagged as anoun, pronounced [zɛkˈt͡si̯oːn].
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 44784, this pair ranks #1,374,805 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of Sanktion vs Sektion
Shared letters: iknost. Private to "Sanktion": a. Private to "Sektion": e.
"Sanktion" · 8 letters · shape CVCCCVVC · "Sektion" · 7 letters · shape CVCCVVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "Sanktion" and "Sektion" be used interchangeably?
In ordinary German text, does "Sanktion" or "Sektion" show up more?
After this comparison
Pronunciation already separates them, if the page still looks alike, the dictionary links below settle it.
- Full dictionary entry for "Sanktion" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "Sektion" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,374,805 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "Sanktion" and "Sektion" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "Sanktion vs Sanktionen". 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 #1,374,805 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.