Which to use
“unfehlbar” and “unheilbar” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #42,207
- “unfehlbar” frequency rank
- #37,261
- “unheilbar” frequency rank
- 79468
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | unfehlbar | unheilbar |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | keine Fehler machend, sich nie irrend; in seinen Entscheidungen und Urteilen keinem Fehler oder Irrtum unterworfen | ohne Aussicht auf oder Möglichkeit von Heilung; nicht heilbar |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set unfehlbar and unheilbar apart are highlighted. They share 7 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. unfehlbar ([ˌʊnˈfeːlbaːɐ̯]) and unheilbar ([ˈʊnˌhaɪ̯lbaːɐ̯]) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 79468, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
unfehlbar is recorded at frequency rank #42,207, classified as anadj, pronounced [ˌʊnˈfeːlbaːɐ̯]. unheilbar is at rank #37,261, tagged as anadj, pronounced [ˈʊnˌhaɪ̯lbaːɐ̯].
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 79468, this pair ranks #215,930 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.
Orthographic DNA of unfehlbar vs unheilbar
Shared letters: abehlnru. Private to "unfehlbar": f. Private to "unheilbar": i.
"unfehlbar" · 9 letters · shape VCCVCCCVC · "unheilbar" · 9 letters · shape VCCVVCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "unfehlbar" and "unheilbar" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "unfehlbar" or "unheilbar"?
Remembering unfehlbar vs unheilbar
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “unfehlbar” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable