VermutungvsVerwüstungWhat's the difference?

Which to use

“Vermutung” and “Verwüstung” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.

#6,483
“Vermutung” frequency rank
#28,918
“Verwüstung” frequency rank
35401
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Vermutung Verwüstung
Definition eine ungesicherte Erkenntnis oder Annahme Zustand vollkommener Zerstörung

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set Vermutung and Verwüstung apart are highlighted. They share 7 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

9 ch
Vermutung
10 ch
Verwüstung

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

A purely visual mix-up. Vermutung ([fɛɐ̯ˈmuːtʊŋ]) and Verwüstung ([fɛɐ̯ˈvyːstʊŋ]) 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 35401, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

Vermutung is recorded at frequency rank #6,483, classified as anoun, pronounced [fɛɐ̯ˈmuːtʊŋ]. Verwüstung is at rank #28,918, tagged as anoun, pronounced [fɛɐ̯ˈvyːstʊŋ].

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 35401, this pair ranks #1,640,900 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.

Orthographic DNA of Vermutung vs Verwüstung

Shared letters: egnrtuv. Private to "Vermutung": m. Private to "Verwüstung": swü.

"Vermutung" · 9 letters · shape CVCCVCVCC  ·  "Verwüstung" · 10 letters · shape CVCCVCCVCC

Known mistypes of this pair

  • Vermutungevrmutung · vemrutung · vermmutung · vermtuung · vermutnug · vermuttung · vermutugn · vermutungg

Frequency comparison

Vermutung#6,483
Verwüstung#28,918

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "Vermutung" and "Verwüstung" be used interchangeably?
No. They are said differently ([fɛɐ̯ˈmuːtʊŋ] versus [fɛɐ̯ˈvyːstʊŋ]) and carry different meanings; reading the sentence aloud is usually enough to catch the wrong one.
Which is more common, "Vermutung" or "Verwüstung"?
"Vermutung" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #6,483 in our German list, against #28,918 for "Verwüstung". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering Vermutung vs Verwüstung

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 “Vermutung” entry
  • Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list