Which to use
“list” and “loss” are a confusable English pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #531
- “list” frequency rank
- #907
- “loss” frequency rank
- 1438
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | list | loss |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A strip of fabric, especially from the edge of a piece of cloth. | The result of no longer possessing an object, a function, or a characteristic due to external causes or misplacement. |
Where the eye mixes list and loss
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 2 letters in sequence.
Why the eye confuses list with loss
A purely visual mix-up. list (/lɪst/) and loss (/lɒs/) 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 1438, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
list is recorded at frequency rank #531, classified as anoun, pronounced /lɪst/. loss is at rank #907, tagged as anoun, pronounced /lɒs/.
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 1438, this pair ranks #527,426 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of list vs loss
Shared letters: ls. Private to "list": it. Private to "loss": o.
"list" · 4 letters · shape CVCC · "loss" · 4 letters · shape CVCC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "list" for "loss" ever safe?
Frequency check: "list" vs "loss" - which ranks higher?
After this comparison
Visual near-miss handled. Browse the word pages or a neighbour when the next look-alike shows up.
- Full dictionary entry for "list" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "loss" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #527,426 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "list" and "loss" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "loss vs LSC". 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 #527,426 of 530,003 scored English pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.