umlenken

[ˈʊmˌlɛŋkn̩]

/[ˈʊmˌlɛŋkn̩]/ verb

The verdict

“umlenken” is uncommon German (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency German
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - mit dem Steuer eines Gefährts (Lenker) die Fahrtrichtung verändern

Corpus desk

Index DE-umlenken · umlenken · German

umlenken · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "U" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for umlenken
PropertyValue
Headwordumlenken
LanguageGerman
Part of speechVerb
IPA[ˈʊmˌlɛŋkn̩]
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Langschwanz-Rang von „umlenken“ im Deutschen

umlenkensitzt jenseits der 100.000 häufigsten deutschen Formen, im Schwanz spezialisierten oder seltenen Wortschatzes.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

umlenken is uncommon German outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed [ˈʊmˌlɛŋkn̩]. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for umlenken, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Our source data has no etymology on file for this entry, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct German form is umlenken, spelled U-M-L-E-N-K-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    mit dem Steuer eines Gefährts (Lenker) die Fahrtrichtung verändern
  2. 2
    eine Richtung oder das Ziel in einem Ablauf oder einer Übertragung, einem Fluss verändern

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how umlenken appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Lenk den Wagen um! Sofort!
  2. Der Fuhrmann konnte sein breites Gespann auf dem Weg zu den Stallungen gar nicht umlenken.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "umlenken"?
"umlenken" is spelled U-M-L-E-N-K-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈʊmˌlɛŋkn̩].
What does "umlenken" mean?
As a verb, "umlenken" means: mit dem Steuer eines Gefährts (Lenker) die Fahrtrichtung verändern
How do you pronounce "umlenken"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "umlenken" is [ˈʊmˌlɛŋkn̩]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "umlenken" come from?
"umlenken" 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list