Which to use
“zurückhalten” and “zurückholen” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #15,537
- “zurückhalten” frequency rank
- #25,004
- “zurückholen” frequency rank
- 40541
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | zurückhalten | zurückholen |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | jemanden oder etwas nicht gehen lassen | etwas, das seinen Platz/Ort verlassen hat oder weggebracht/weggenommen wurde, wieder dorthin schaffen, wo es herkam |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set zurückhalten and zurückholen apart are highlighted. They share 10 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. zurückhalten ([t͡suˈʁʏkˌhaltn̩]) and zurückholen ([t͡suˈʁʏkˌhoːlən]) 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 40541, 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]. zurückholen is at rank #25,004, tagged as averb, pronounced [t͡suˈʁʏkˌhoːlən].
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 40541, this pair ranks #1,505,475 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of zurückhalten vs zurückholen
Shared letters: cehklnruzü. Private to "zurückhalten": at. Private to "zurückholen": o.
"zurückhalten" · 12 letters · shape CVCVCCCVCCVC · "zurückholen" · 11 letters · shape CVCVCCCVCVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "zurückhalten" and "zurückholen" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "zurückhalten" or "zurückholen"?
Remembering zurückhalten vs zurückholen
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 “zurückhalten” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable