Which to use
“build” and “builds” are a confusable English pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #963
- “build” frequency rank
- #7,656
- “builds” frequency rank
- 8619
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | build | builds |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | To form (something) by combining materials or parts. | third-person singular simple present indicative of build |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set build and builds apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
build and builds form a confusable pair in the English index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by 1 extra letter(s) - “build” sits inside “builds” - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 8619, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
build is recorded at frequency rank #963, classified as averb, pronounced /bɪld/. builds is at rank #7,656, tagged as averb, pronounced /bɪldz/.
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 8619, this pair ranks #501,586 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "build" and "builds" be used interchangeably?
Remembering build vs builds
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 “build” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable