Which to use
“réfugiés” and “refusés” are a confusable French pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #3,421
- “réfugiés” frequency rank
- #27,595
- “refusés” frequency rank
- 31016
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | réfugiés | refusés |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Masculin pluriel de réfugié. | Masculin pluriel de refusé. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set réfugiés and refusés 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. réfugiés (\ʁe.fy.ʒje\) and refusés (\ʁə.fy.ze\) 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 31016, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
réfugiés is recorded at frequency rank #3,421, classified as anadj, pronounced \ʁe.fy.ʒje\. refusés is at rank #27,595, tagged as anadj, pronounced \ʁə.fy.ze\.
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 31016, this pair ranks #306,537 of 440,172 scored French confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of réfugiés vs refusés
Shared letters: frsué. Private to "réfugiés": gi. Private to "refusés": e.
"réfugiés" · 8 letters · shape CVCVCVVC · "refusés" · 7 letters · shape CVCVCVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "réfugiés" and "refusés" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "réfugiés" or "refusés"?
Remembering réfugiés vs refusés
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 “réfugiés” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable