fressen

[ˈfʁɛsn̩]

/[ˈfʁɛsn̩]/ verb

The verdict

“fressen” is a regularly-used German word, ranked #5,482 in German word frequency and used as a verb.

#5,482
frequency rank, German
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - feste Nahrung einnehmen

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

fressen vs freuen
71% similar
fressen vs Füssen
57% similar
fressen vs Freuden
57% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for fressen
PropertyValue
Headwordfressen
LanguageGerman
Part of speechVerb
IPA[ˈfʁɛsn̩]
Letters7
Frequency rank#5,482
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “fressen” sits in German frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). fressen lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The German entry for fressen is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈfʁɛsn̩]. Corpus data places it at rank #5,482 in overall German word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for fressen, with forms such as "ferssen", "ffressen", and "fresen". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "freuen", "Füssen", "Freuden", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

No documented word history exists for this headword, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct German form is fressen, spelled F-R-E-S-S-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    feste Nahrung einnehmen
  2. 2
    etwas als Nahrung dem Körper zuführen, als Nahrung verbrauchen
  3. 3
    etwas durch das Einnehmen fester Nahrung in einen bestimmten Zustand bringen
  4. 4
    durch das Einnehmen fester Nahrung erzeugen
  5. 5
    übertragen
  6. 6
    übertragen
  7. 7
    übertragen
  8. 8
    übertragen
  9. 9
    übertragen

Synonyms

Antonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ferssen,ffressen,fresen,fresesn,fressenn,fressne,freßen,frressen,frsesen,rfessen

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of fressen - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ferssen2ffressen1fresen1fresesn2fressenn1fressne2freßen2frressen1
Edit distance from "fressen"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 German corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "fressen"?
"fressen" is spelled F-R-E-S-S-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈfʁɛsn̩].
What does "fressen" mean?
As a verb, "fressen" means: feste Nahrung einnehmen
What words are commonly confused with "fressen"?
"fressen" is commonly confused with "freuen", "Füssen", "Freuden". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "fressen"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "fressen" is [ˈfʁɛsn̩]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "fressen" come from?
"fressen" is a German word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “fressen”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct German spelling is F-R-E-S-S-E-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈfʁɛsn̩] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “freuen” - see the side-by-side comparison. fressen vs freuen
  • Browse more German words and confusable pairs in the same reference. German words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

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

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