Which to use
“mistaken” is a verb and “mistaking” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #7,363
- “mistaken” frequency rank
- #28,627
- “mistaking” frequency rank
- 35990
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | mistaken | mistaking |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | past participle of mistake | A mistake. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set mistaken and mistaking apart are highlighted. They share 7 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
Our dataset has no pronunciation recorded for both members, so the reliable separator here is grammatical: mistaken is averb and mistakinganoun. On the page they differ by 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 35990, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
mistaken is recorded at frequency rank #7,363, classified as averb, pronounced /mɪˈsteɪkn̩/. mistaking is at rank #28,627, tagged as anoun.
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 35990, this pair ranks #307,169 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of mistaken vs mistaking
Shared letters: aikmnst. Private to "mistaken": e. Private to "mistaking": g.
"mistaken" · 8 letters · shape CVCCVCVC · "mistaking" · 9 letters · shape CVCCVCVCC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "mistaken" and "mistaking" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "mistaken" or "mistaking"?
Remembering mistaken vs mistaking
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a verb, it's “mistaken”; for a noun, it's “mistaking”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “mistaken” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable