Which to use
“Vergeltung” and “Vergiftung” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #18,424
- “Vergeltung” frequency rank
- #22,947
- “Vergiftung” frequency rank
- 41371
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Vergeltung | Vergiftung |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Strafe, Genugtuung für eine (meist negative) Handlung | körperliche Schädigung durch Einnahme von Gift |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Vergeltung and Vergiftung apart are highlighted. They share 8 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. Vergeltung ([fɛɐ̯ˈɡɛltʊŋ]) and Vergiftung ([fɛɐ̯ˈɡɪftʊŋ]) 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 41371, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
Vergeltung is recorded at frequency rank #18,424, classified as anoun, pronounced [fɛɐ̯ˈɡɛltʊŋ]. Vergiftung is at rank #22,947, tagged as anoun, pronounced [fɛɐ̯ˈɡɪftʊŋ].
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 41371, this pair ranks #1,481,436 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of Vergeltung vs Vergiftung
Shared letters: egnrtuv. Private to "Vergeltung": l. Private to "Vergiftung": fi.
"Vergeltung" · 10 letters · shape CVCCVCCVCC · "Vergiftung" · 10 letters · shape CVCCVCCVCC
Known mistypes of this pair
- Vergeltung ← evrgeltung · vegreltung · veregltung · vergelltung · vergeltnug · vergelttung · vergeltugn · vergeltungg
- Vergiftung ← evrgiftung · vegriftung · vergfitung · verggiftung · vergifftung · vergiftnug · vergifttung · vergiftugn
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "Vergeltung" and "Vergiftung" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "Vergeltung" or "Vergiftung"?
Remembering Vergeltung vs Vergiftung
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 “Vergeltung” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable