Which to use
“knit” and “knits” are a confusable English pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #11,907
- “knit” frequency rank
- #47,146
- “knits” frequency rank
- 59053
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | knit | knits |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | To turn thread or yarn into a piece of fabric by forming loops that are pulled through each other. This can be done by hand with needles or by machine. | third-person singular simple present indicative of knit |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set knit and knits apart are highlighted. They share 4 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
knit and knits 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) - “knit” sits inside “knits” - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 59053, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
knit is recorded at frequency rank #11,907, classified as averb, pronounced /nɪt/. knits is at rank #47,146, tagged as averb, pronounced /nɪts/.
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 59053, this pair ranks #108,601 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "knit" and "knits" be used interchangeably?
Remembering knit vs knits
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 “knit” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable