Which to use
“zurückhalten” is a verb and “Zurückhaltung” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #15,537
- “zurückhalten” frequency rank
- #13,529
- “Zurückhaltung” frequency rank
- 29066
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | zurückhalten | Zurückhaltung |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | jemanden oder etwas nicht gehen lassen | zurückhaltendes, nicht aufdringliches Verhalten, zurückhaltende Art |
Where the eye mixes zurückhalten and Zurückhaltung
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 11 letters in sequence. zurückhalten runs 12 letters (CVCVCCCVCCVC) against Zurückhaltung's 13 (CVCVCCCVCCVCC) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.
Why the eye confuses zurückhalten with Zurückhaltung
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: zurückhalten is [t͡suˈʁʏkˌhaltn̩] while Zurückhaltung is [t͡suˈʁʏkˌhaltʊŋ]. 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 (verb vs noun), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 29066, 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]. Zurückhaltung is at rank #13,529, tagged as anoun, pronounced [t͡suˈʁʏkˌhaltʊŋ].
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 29066, this pair ranks #1,773,680 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of zurückhalten vs Zurückhaltung
Shared letters: achklnrtuzü. Private to "zurückhalten": e. Private to "Zurückhaltung": g.
"zurückhalten" · 12 letters · shape CVCVCCCVCCVC · "Zurückhaltung" · 13 letters · shape CVCVCCCVCCVCC
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "zurückhalten" and "Zurückhaltung" be used interchangeably?
Frequency check: "zurückhalten" vs "Zurückhaltung" - which ranks higher?
After this comparison
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "zurückhalten" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "Zurückhaltung" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,773,680 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "zurückhalten" and "Zurückhaltung" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "zurückhalten vs zurückhaltende". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #1,773,680 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.