What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
confounder
Example
Smoking is a confounder in the relationship between alcohol consumption and lung cancer. [confounder: noun]
Example
The presence of a confounder can lead to biased results in a study. [confounder: adjective]
covariate
Example
Age is often included as a covariate in studies of cognitive function. [covariate: noun]
Example
The effect of the treatment was significant even after controlling for the covariate. [covariate: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Covariate is more commonly used than confounder in statistical analysis and research. Covariate is a widely accepted term in the field of statistics, while confounder is used more specifically in medical research.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between confounder and covariate?
Both confounder and covariate are formal terms used in research and statistical analysis. However, covariate is more commonly used and accepted in the field of statistics, making it slightly less formal than confounder which is more specific to medical research.
