Which to use
“emplear” and “empujar” are a confusable Spanish pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #8,653
- “emplear” frequency rank
- #14,129
- “empujar” frequency rank
- 22782
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | emplear | empujar |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Ocupar a uno encargándole algún negocio o puesto. | Aplicar una fuerza para mover o detener algo o a alguien. |
Where the eye mixes emplear and empujar
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 5 letters in sequence. emplear (VCCCVVC) and empujar (VCCVCVC) run the same length but a different consonant-vowel pattern - the shape difference is usually the fastest tell.
Visual trap between emplear and empujar
A purely visual mix-up. emplear ([ẽmpleˈaɾ]) and empujar ([ẽmpuˈxaɾ]) 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 22782, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
emplear is recorded at frequency rank #8,653, classified as averb, pronounced [ẽmpleˈaɾ]. empujar is at rank #14,129, tagged as averb, pronounced [ẽmpuˈxaɾ].
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 22782, this pair ranks #248,760 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Orthographic DNA of emplear vs empujar
Shared letters: aempr. Private to "emplear": l. Private to "empujar": ju.
"emplear" · 7 letters · shape VCCCVVC · "empujar" · 7 letters · shape VCCVCVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "emplear" and "empujar" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "emplear" or "empujar"?
Useful next steps
Pronunciation already separates them, if the page still looks alike, the dictionary links below settle it.
- Full dictionary entry for "emplear" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "empujar" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #248,760 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "emplear" and "empujar" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "empujada vs empujar". Nearby pair
- Recorded mistypes exist for at least one side of this pair, useful when a spell-checker or OCR lands on the wrong form. See mistypes
Confusion rank #248,760 of 323,831 scored Spanish pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.