Which to use
“zurückhalten” is a verb and “zurückhaltend” is an adjective - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #15,537
- “zurückhalten” frequency rank
- #13,747
- “zurückhaltend” frequency rank
- 29284
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | zurückhalten | zurückhaltend |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | jemanden oder etwas nicht gehen lassen | sich nicht in den Vordergrund drängend |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set zurückhalten and zurückhaltend apart are highlighted. They share 12 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: zurückhalten is [t͡suˈʁʏkˌhaltn̩] while zurückhaltend is [t͡suˈʁʏkˌhaltn̩t]. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 extra letter(s) - “zurückhalten” sits inside “zurückhaltend”, and the parts of speech differ too (verb vs adjective), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 29284, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
zurückhalten is recorded at frequency rank #15,537, classified as averb, pronounced [t͡suˈʁʏkˌhaltn̩]. zurückhaltend is at rank #13,747, tagged as anadj, pronounced [t͡suˈʁʏkˌhaltn̩t].
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 29284, this pair ranks #1,769,720 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of zurückhalten vs zurückhaltend
Shared letters: acehklnrtuzü. Private to "zurückhalten": -. Private to "zurückhaltend": d.
"zurückhalten" · 12 letters · shape CVCVCCCVCCVC · "zurückhaltend" · 13 letters · shape CVCVCCCVCCVCC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "zurückhalten" and "zurückhaltend" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "zurückhalten" or "zurückhaltend"?
Remembering zurückhalten vs zurückhaltend
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “zurückhalten”; for an adjective, it's “zurückhaltend”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “zurückhalten” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable