Which to use
“apologise” and “apologize” are a confusable English pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #11,833
- “apologise” frequency rank
- #5,473
- “apologize” frequency rank
- 17306
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | apologise | apologize |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Non-Oxford British English standard spelling of apologize. | To make an apology or excuse; to acknowledge some fault or offense, with expression of regret for it, by way of amends |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set apologise and apologize apart are highlighted. They share 8 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
This is the hard kind. apologise and apologize are pronounced identically (/əˈpɒləˌd͡ʒaɪz/) and both work as averb. Neither the ear nor the grammar will rescue you; only the meaning does, so the glosses below are the whole decision. They differ by a single letter - s in “apologise” becomes z in “apologize”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 17306, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
apologise is recorded at frequency rank #11,833, classified as averb, pronounced /əˈpɒləˌd͡ʒaɪz/. apologize is at rank #5,473, tagged as averb, pronounced /əˈpɒləd͡ʒaɪz/.
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 17306, this pair ranks #452,283 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of apologise vs apologize
Shared letters: aegilop. Private to "apologise": s. Private to "apologize": z.
"apologise" · 9 letters · shape VCVCVCVCV · "apologize" · 9 letters · shape VCVCVCVCV
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "apologise" and "apologize" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "apologise" or "apologize"?
Remembering apologise vs apologize
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “apologise” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable