Which to use
“parole” and “parsley” are a confusable English pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #9,933
- “parole” frequency rank
- #20,454
- “parsley” frequency rank
- 30387
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | parole | parsley |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Originally, one's oath or word of honour, given as a condition of release from custody; now specifically, describing the release of a former prisoner under certain conditions, especially the promise of good behaviour. | A bright green, biennial herb, Petroselinum crispum, having many cultivars. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set parole and parsley 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. parole (/pəˈɹoʊl/) and parsley (/ˈpɑː(ɹ)sli/) 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 30387, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
parole is recorded at frequency rank #9,933, classified as anoun, pronounced /pəˈɹoʊl/. parsley is at rank #20,454, tagged as anoun, pronounced /ˈpɑː(ɹ)sli/.
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 30387, this pair ranks #354,976 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of parole vs parsley
Shared letters: aelpr. Private to "parole": o. Private to "parsley": sy.
"parole" · 6 letters · shape CVCVCV · "parsley" · 7 letters · shape CVCCCVV
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "parole" and "parsley" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "parole" or "parsley"?
Remembering parole vs parsley
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 “parole” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable