Which to use
“zurückziehen” and “zurückzuziehen” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #10,207
- “zurückziehen” frequency rank
- #21,138
- “zurückzuziehen” frequency rank
- 31345
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | zurückziehen | zurückzuziehen |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | jemanden oder etwas in die Richtung ziehen, aus der er oder es kam; nach hinten ziehen | erweiterter Infinitiv Aktiv des Verbs zurückziehen |
Where the eye mixes zurückziehen and zurückzuziehen
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 12 letters in sequence. zurückziehen runs 12 letters (CVCVCCCVVCVC) against zurückzuziehen's 14 (CVCVCCCVCVVCVC) - the length gap alone is often enough to separate them once you know to check it.
Look-alike desk: zurückziehen vs zurückzuziehen
A purely visual mix-up. zurückziehen ([t͡suˈʁʏkˌt͡siːən]) and zurückzuziehen ([t͡suˈʁʏkt͡suˌt͡siːən]) 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 2 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 31345, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
zurückziehen is recorded at frequency rank #10,207, classified as averb, pronounced [t͡suˈʁʏkˌt͡siːən]. zurückzuziehen is at rank #21,138, tagged as averb, pronounced [t͡suˈʁʏkt͡suˌt͡siːən].
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 31345, this pair ranks #1,729,982 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of zurückziehen vs zurückzuziehen
Shared letters: cehiknruzü. Private to "zurückziehen": -. Private to "zurückzuziehen": -.
"zurückziehen" · 12 letters · shape CVCVCCCVVCVC · "zurückzuziehen" · 14 letters · shape CVCVCCCVCVVCVC
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "zurückziehen" for "zurückzuziehen" ever safe?
Which is more common, "zurückziehen" or "zurückzuziehen"?
Useful next steps
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "zurückziehen" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "zurückzuziehen" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #1,729,982 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "zurückziehen" and "zurückzuziehen" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "zurückdrehen vs zurückziehen". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #1,729,982 of 2,006,359 scored German pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.