Which to use
“float” and “flown” are a confusable English pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #7,793
- “float” frequency rank
- #9,179
- “flown” frequency rank
- 16972
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | float | flown |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | To be supported by a fluid of greater density (than the object). | past participle of fly |
Where the eye mixes float and flown
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 3 letters in sequence.
Look-alike desk: float vs flown
A purely visual mix-up. float (/fləʊt/) and flown (/ˈfləʊn/) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 16972, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
float is recorded at frequency rank #7,793, classified as averb, pronounced /fləʊt/. flown is at rank #9,179, tagged as averb, pronounced /ˈfləʊn/.
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 16972, this pair ranks #454,417 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of float vs flown
Shared letters: flo. Private to "float": at. Private to "flown": nw.
"float" · 5 letters · shape CCVVC · "flown" · 5 letters · shape CCVCC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "float" and "flown" be used interchangeably?
Frequency check: "float" vs "flown" - which ranks higher?
After this comparison
Pronunciation already separates them, if the page still looks alike, the dictionary links below settle it.
- Full dictionary entry for "float" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "flown" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #454,417 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "float" and "flown" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "float vs floater". Nearby pair
- Recorded mistypes exist for at least one side of this pair, useful when a spell-checker or OCR lands on the wrong form. See mistypes
Confusion rank #454,417 of 530,003 scored English pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.