Which to use
“respected” is an adjective and “respects” is a noun - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #6,007
- “respected” frequency rank
- #8,342
- “respects” frequency rank
- 14349
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | respected | respects |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Deserving of respect; due special honor or appreciation. | plural of respect |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set respected and respects apart are highlighted. They share 7 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: respected is /ɹɪˈspɛktɪd/ while respects is /ɹɪˈspɛkts/. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 1 letter(s) in length, and the parts of speech differ too (adjective vs noun), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 14349, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
respected is recorded at frequency rank #6,007, classified as anadj, pronounced /ɹɪˈspɛktɪd/. respects is at rank #8,342, tagged as anoun, pronounced /ɹɪˈspɛkts/.
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 14349, this pair ranks #470,565 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of respected vs respects
Shared letters: ceprst. Private to "respected": d. Private to "respects": -.
"respected" · 9 letters · shape CVCCVCCVC · "respects" · 8 letters · shape CVCCVCCC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "respected" and "respects" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "respected" or "respects"?
Remembering respected vs respects
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need an adjective, it's “respected”; for a noun, it's “respects”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “respected” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable