Which to use
“paddle” and “peddler” are a confusable English pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #15,239
- “paddle” frequency rank
- #46,684
- “peddler” frequency rank
- 61923
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | paddle | peddler |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A two-handed implement consisting of a shaft with one or two blades attached to the end(s) used to propel a canoe, kayak or a small boat. A paddle is unattached to the boat and freely operated with the hands, compared with an oar which is attached to the boat at a pivot point. | An itinerant seller of small goods. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set paddle and peddler apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
A purely visual mix-up. paddle (/ˈpædl̩/) and peddler (/ˈpɛdlə/) are said differently, so reading them aloud is the quickest way to catch the wrong one. On the page they stay close: they differ by 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 61923, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
paddle is recorded at frequency rank #15,239, classified as anoun, pronounced /ˈpædl̩/. peddler is at rank #46,684, tagged as anoun, pronounced /ˈpɛdlə/.
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 61923, this pair ranks #91,386 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.
Orthographic DNA of paddle vs peddler
Shared letters: delp. Private to "paddle": a. Private to "peddler": r.
"paddle" · 6 letters · shape CVCCCV · "peddler" · 7 letters · shape CVCCCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "paddle" and "peddler" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "paddle" or "peddler"?
Remembering paddle vs peddler
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 “paddle” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable