Which to use
“laker” is a noun and “like” is a verb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #35,382
- “laker” frequency rank
- #42
- “like” frequency rank
- 35424
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | laker | like |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | One engaged in sport; a player; an actor. | To enjoy, be pleased by; favor; be in favor of. |
Where the eye mixes laker and like
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 3 letters in sequence.
Why the eye confuses laker with like
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: laker is /ˈleɪkə(ɹ)/ while like is /laɪ̯k/. 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 (noun vs verb), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 35424, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
laker is recorded at frequency rank #35,382, classified as anoun, pronounced /ˈleɪkə(ɹ)/. like is at rank #42, tagged as averb, pronounced /laɪ̯k/.
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 35424, this pair ranks #312,073 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of laker vs like
Shared letters: ekl. Private to "laker": ar. Private to "like": i.
"laker" · 5 letters · shape CVCVC · "like" · 4 letters · shape CVCV
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "laker" for "like" ever safe?
In ordinary English text, does "laker" or "like" show up more?
What to do next
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "laker" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "like" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #312,073 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "laker" and "like" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "laker vs laver". 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 #312,073 of 530,003 scored English pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.