Which to use
“schlechten” is an adjective and “schlechthin” is an adverb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #2,785
- “schlechten” frequency rank
- #14,167
- “schlechthin” frequency rank
- 16952
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | schlechten | schlechthin |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Genitiv Singular Maskulinum der starken Flexion des Adjektivs schlecht | an sich, im eigentlichen Sinn, in Reinkultur, par excellence, per se, ohne Einschränkung |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set schlechten and schlechthin apart are highlighted. They share 9 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: schlechten is [ˈʃlɛçtn̩] while schlechthin is [ˈʃlɛçtˈhɪn]. 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 (adjective vs adverb), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 16952, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
schlechten is recorded at frequency rank #2,785, classified as anadj, pronounced [ˈʃlɛçtn̩]. schlechthin is at rank #14,167, tagged as anadv, pronounced [ˈʃlɛçtˈhɪn].
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 16952, this pair ranks #1,931,622 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of schlechten vs schlechthin
Shared letters: cehlnst. Private to "schlechten": -. Private to "schlechthin": i.
"schlechten" · 10 letters · shape CCCCVCCCVC · "schlechthin" · 11 letters · shape CCCCVCCCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
- schlechten ← cshlechten · scchlechten · schelchten · schhlechten · schlcehten · schlecchten · schlechetn · schlechhten
- schlechthin ← cshlechthin · scchlechthin · schelchthin · schhlechthin · schlcehthin · schlecchthin · schlechhthin · schlechhtin
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "schlechten" and "schlechthin" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "schlechten" or "schlechthin"?
Remembering schlechten vs schlechthin
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need an adjective, it's “schlechten”; for an adverb, it's “schlechthin”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “schlechten” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable