Likelihood of confusion is a legal standard used to determine whether consumers may mistakenly believe two trademarks are associated with the same source.

A trademark search is a risk-screening step, not a guarantee of availability or approval. Trademark conflicts can arise even when two marks are not identical. The USPTO may consider similarities in sound, appearance, meaning, overall commercial impression, and the relationship between the parties' goods or services.

Federal database searching is important, but it does not necessarily reveal every relevant use. Some businesses may have common-law trademark rights based on actual use in commerce even without a federal registration. That is why broader searches can include state records, business names, websites, domains, social media, and marketplace use.

Likelihood of confusion is the trademark-law standard used to evaluate whether consumers may mistakenly believe that two brands come from the same source or are connected, sponsored, or approved by one another.

Example: Two businesses do not need to use identical names for a conflict to exist. A mark spelled differently but pronounced the same, used for closely related products, could still create a likelihood-of-confusion concern.