Which to use
“lob” is a verb and “log” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #29,722
- “lob” frequency rank
- #3,826
- “log” frequency rank
- 33548
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | lob | log |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | To throw or hit a ball into the air in a high arc. | The trunk of a dead tree, cleared of branches. |
Where the eye mixes lob and log
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 2 letters in sequence.
Why the eye confuses lob with log
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: lob is /lɒb/ while log is /lɒɡ/. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by a single letter - b in “lob” becomes g in “log”, and the parts of speech differ too (verb vs noun), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 33548, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
lob is recorded at frequency rank #29,722, classified as averb, pronounced /lɒb/. log is at rank #3,826, tagged as anoun, pronounced /lɒɡ/.
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 33548, this pair ranks #328,469 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of lob vs log
Shared letters: lo. Private to "lob": b. Private to "log": g.
"lob" · 3 letters · shape CVC · "log" · 3 letters · shape CVC
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "lob" and "log" be used interchangeably?
Frequency check: "lob" vs "log" - which ranks higher?
Useful next steps
Eye-level mix-up between "lob" and "log" is sorted above. Next: full entries or other pairs that share a letter shape.
- Full dictionary entry for "lob" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "log" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #328,469 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "lob" and "log" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "lob vs LSC". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #328,469 of 530,003 scored English pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.