stumpfvsSumpfConfusable pair

Quick tell: stumpf is a adjective, Sumpf is a noun, so they fill different roles in a sentence.

Which to use

“stumpf” is an adjective and “Sumpf” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.

#11,537
“stumpf” frequency rank
#12,800
“Sumpf” frequency rank
24337
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature stumpf Sumpf
Definition nicht scharf (bei Schneidegeräten), sodass es nicht mehr möglich ist zu schneiden flache, stehende Wasserfläche mit Vegetation

Where the eye mixes stumpf and Sumpf

Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 5 letters in sequence. stumpf runs 6 letters (CCVCCC) against Sumpf's 5 (CVCCC) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.

6 ch
stumpf
5 ch
Sumpf

Visual trap between stumpf and Sumpf

These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: stumpf is [ʃtʊmp͡f] while Sumpf is [zʊmp͡f]. 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 noun), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 24337, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

stumpf is recorded at frequency rank #11,537, classified as anadj, pronounced [ʃtʊmp͡f]. Sumpf is at rank #12,800, tagged as anoun, pronounced [zʊmp͡f].

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 24337, this pair ranks #1,849,027 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of stumpf vs Sumpf

Shared letters: fmpsu. Private to "stumpf": t. Private to "Sumpf": -.

"stumpf" · 6 letters · shape CCVCCC  ·  "Sumpf" · 5 letters · shape CVCCC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • stumpf ← sstumpf · stmupf · sttumpf · stumfp · stummpf · stumpff · stumppf · stupmf
  • Sumpf ← smupf · ssumpf · sumfp · summpf · sumpff · sumppf · supmf · usmpf

Frequently Asked Questions

Is swapping "stumpf" for "Sumpf" ever safe?
No - they are not even the same part of speech. "stumpf" is an adjective and "Sumpf" a noun, so a sentence built for one is usually ungrammatical with the other.
Which is more common, "stumpf" or "Sumpf"?
"stumpf" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #11,537 in our German list, against #12,800 for "Sumpf". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

After this comparison

Pronunciation already separates them, if the page still looks alike, the dictionary links below settle it.

  • Full dictionary entry for "stumpf" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
  • Full dictionary entry for "Sumpf" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
  • This pair ranks #1,849,027 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
  • "stumpf" and "Sumpf" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "Sumpf vs Sümpfe". 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 #1,849,027 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list