Which to use
“add” is a verb and “at” is a preposition - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #840
- “add” frequency rank
- #21
- “at” frequency rank
- 861
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | add | at |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | To join or unite (e.g. one thing to another, or as several particulars) so as to increase the number, augment the quantity, or enlarge the magnitude, or so as to form into one aggregate. | In, near, or in the general vicinity of (a particular place). |
Where the eye mixes add and at
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 1 letter in sequence.
Why the eye confuses add with at
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: add is /æd/ while at is /æt/. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (verb vs preposition), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 861, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
add is recorded at frequency rank #840, classified as averb, pronounced /æd/. at is at rank #21, tagged as aprep, pronounced /æt/.
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 861, this pair ranks #528,620 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of add vs at
Shared letters: a. Private to "add": d. Private to "at": t.
"add" · 3 letters · shape VCC · "at" · 2 letters · shape VC
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "add" and "at" be used interchangeably?
Frequency check: "add" vs "at" - which ranks higher?
Useful next steps
Pronunciation already separates them, if the page still looks alike, the dictionary links below settle it.
- Full dictionary entry for "add" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "at" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #528,620 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "add" and "at" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "add vs amb". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #528,620 of 530,003 scored English pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.