Which to use
“mattress” and “mistress” are a confusable English pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #11,740
- “mattress” frequency rank
- #8,826
- “mistress” frequency rank
- 20566
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | mattress | mistress |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A pad on which a person can recline and sleep, usually having an inner section of coiled springs covered with foam or other cushioning material then enclosed with cloth fabric. | A woman, specifically one with great control, authority or ownership. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set mattress and mistress apart are highlighted. They share 6 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. mattress (/ˈmætɹɪs/) and mistress (/ˈmɪs.tɹᵻs/) 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 20566, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
mattress is recorded at frequency rank #11,740, classified as anoun, pronounced /ˈmætɹɪs/. mistress is at rank #8,826, tagged as anoun, pronounced /ˈmɪs.tɹᵻs/.
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 20566, this pair ranks #430,215 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of mattress vs mistress
Shared letters: emrst. Private to "mattress": a. Private to "mistress": i.
"mattress" · 8 letters · shape CVCCCVCC · "mistress" · 8 letters · shape CVCCCVCC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "mattress" and "mistress" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "mattress" or "mistress"?
Remembering mattress vs mistress
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 “mattress” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable