lähmen

[ˈlɛːmən]

/[ˈlɛːmən]/ verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

The verdict

“lähmen” is an uncommon German word, ranked #59,857 in German word frequency and used as a verb.

#59,857
frequency rank, German
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - einem System seine Funktion nehmen (teilweise nur für bestimmte Zeit); eine Lähmung hervorrufen

Key facts for lähmen
PropertyValue
Headwordlähmen
LanguageGerman
Part of speechVerb
IPA[ˈlɛːmən]
Letters6
Frequency rank#59,857
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “lähmen” 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). lähmen 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 lähmen is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈlɛːmən]. Corpus data places it at rank #59,857 in overall German word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "einem System seine Funktion nehmen (teilweise nur für bestimmte Zeit); eine Lähmung hervorrufen".

lähmen has no tracked misspelling variants, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct German form is lähmen, spelled L-Ä-H-M-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    einem System seine Funktion nehmen (teilweise nur für bestimmte Zeit); eine Lähmung hervorrufen

Synonyms

paralysieren

This word in other languages

paralyze(English)paralizar(Español)paralyser(Français)paralisar(Português)

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 "lähmen"?
"lähmen" is spelled L-Ä-H-M-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈlɛːmən].
What does "lähmen" mean?
As a verb, "lähmen" means: einem System seine Funktion nehmen (teilweise nur für bestimmte Zeit); eine Lähmung hervorrufen
How do you pronounce "lähmen"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lähmen" is [ˈlɛːmən]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "lähmen" come from?
"lähmen" is a German word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
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 “lähmen”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is L-Ä-H-M-E-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈlɛːmən] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • 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