machtlos
[ˈmaxtloːs]
The verdict
“machtlos” is a moderately-common German word, ranked #16,485 in German word frequency and used as an adjective.
- #16,485
- frequency rank, German
- 8
- letters
- 13
- tracked misspellings
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - ohne Fähigkeit/Möglichkeit, in bestimmte Entwicklungen steuernd einzugreifen
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | machtlos |
| Language | German |
| Part of speech | Adjective |
| IPA | [ˈmaxtloːs] |
| Letters | 8 |
| Frequency rank | #16,485 |
| Misspellings tracked | 13 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “machtlos” sits in German frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The German entry for machtlos is 8 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [ˈmaxtloːs]. Corpus data places it at rank #16,485 in overall German word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "ohne Fähigkeit/Möglichkeit, in bestimmte Entwicklungen steuernd einzugreifen".
Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for machtlos, with forms such as "amchtlos", "macchtlos", and "machhtlos". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.
This entry's etymology isn't recorded, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct German form is machtlos, spelled M-A-C-H-T-L-O-S.
Definition
- 1ohne Fähigkeit/Möglichkeit, in bestimmte Entwicklungen steuernd einzugreifen
Synonyms
Antonyms
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: amchtlos,macchtlos,machhtlos,machltos,machtllos,machtloss,machtlso,machtols,machttlos,macthlos,mahctlos,mcahtlos,mmachtlos
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of machtlos - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.
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
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Using “machtlos”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct German spelling is M-A-C-H-T-L-O-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as [ˈmaxtloːs] (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.