Level: B1
Most Misspelled Words in English
English words people often spell incorrectly — practice the trickiest spellings to write with more confidence and accuracy.
- absence – when someone or something is not present
- abundance – a very large amount of something
- accessible – easy to get or reach
- accidentally – by mistake, not planned
- acclaim – public praise or approval
- accommodate – to give space or help to someone
- accomplish – to finish something successfully
- accordion – a musical instrument with keys and a folding center
- accumulate – to collect or gather more and more
- achievement – something you have done successfully, especially with effort
- acquaintance – a person you know but who is not a close friend
- acquire – to get or gain something
- acquitted – found not guilty in a court
- across – from one side to the other
- address – the details of where someone lives or works; to speak to someone
- advertisement – a message that tries to sell something
- advice – an idea or suggestion to help someone
- advise – to give advice
- affect – to make a change in something
- alleged – said to be true but not proven
- amateur – someone who does something as a hobby, not for money
- analysis – a careful study of something
- analyze – to study something closely
- annual – happening once a year
- apartment – a set of rooms for someone to live in, usually in a building
- apparatus – equipment or tools for a special purpose
- apparent – easy to see or understand
- appearance – the way something or someone looks
- arctic – the area around the North Pole
- argument – a disagreement; a reason for or against something
- ascend – to go up
- atheist – someone who does not believe in God
- athletic – strong and good at sports
- attendance – being present at a place or event
- auxiliary – giving extra help or support
- balloon – a rubber bag filled with air or gas
- barbecue – cooking food outdoors over a fire
- bargain – something bought for a lower price; a good deal
- basically – in a simple or main way
- beggar – a person who asks others for money or food
- beginning – the start of something
- belief – something you think is true
- believe – to accept that something is true
- beneficial – helpful or good
- benefit – a good or helpful result
- biscuit – a small, soft baked bread
- boundaries – lines that show the end of an area
- business – the activity of buying and selling things
- calendar – a chart showing days, weeks, and months
- camouflage – a way of hiding something by making it look like its surroundings
- candidate – a person who wants to be chosen for a job or election
- Caribbean – a region with islands in the Caribbean Sea
- category – a group of things that are similar
- cemetery – a place where dead people are buried
- challenge – something difficult that needs effort
- changeable – able to be changed
- changing – becoming different
- characteristic – a quality or feature of something
- chief – the leader or most important person
- choose – to pick one thing from many
- chose – past tense of “choose”
- cigarette – a small stick of tobacco you smoke
- climbed – went up something (like a mountain or stairs)
- clothes – things you wear
- clothing – clothes
- cloth – material used to make clothes or things
- collectible – something that people like to collect
- colonel – a high-ranking officer in the army
- column – a tall, round post or a list going up and down
- coming – arriving or happening soon
- commission – a group chosen to do a special job; extra money paid for selling something
- committee – a group of people who meet to discuss or do something
- commitment – a promise to do something or be loyal
- comparative – looking at the differences between things
- competent – able to do something well
- completely – totally; fully
- concede – to admit that something is true
- conceivable – possible to imagine or believe
- conceive – to think of or create an idea
- condemn – to say very strongly that something is bad or wrong
- condescend – to act as if you are better than others
- conscience – the part of your mind that tells you what is right or wrong
- conscientious – careful to do what is right
- conscious – awake and able to think; aware
- consistent – always happening in the same way
- continuous – going on without stopping
- controlled – managed or kept in check
- controversial – causing a lot of disagreement
- controversy – a strong disagreement
- convenient – easy to use or helpful
- correlate – to have a relationship with something else
- correspondence – written communication, like letters or emails
- counselor – someone who helps and gives advice
- courteous – polite
- courtesy – polite behavior
- criticize – to say what is wrong with something
- criticism – the act of saying what is wrong with something
- deceive – to trick someone
- defendant – a person accused in court
- deferred – delayed until later
- definitely – for sure; without doubt
- definition – the meaning of a word
- dependent – needing someone or something else
- descend – to go down
- describe – to say what something is like
- description – words that tell what something is like
- desirable – wanted; good to have
- despair – a feeling of having no hope
- desperate – feeling that you have no hope and will do anything
- develop – to grow or make something better
- dictionary – a book that explains the meanings of words
- difference – how things are not the same
- dilemma – a hard choice between two things
- dining – eating a meal
- disappearance – when something or someone goes away and can’t be found
- disappoint – to make someone feel sad because something is not as good as expected
- disastrous – causing great harm or damage
- discipline – control or training to follow rules
- disease – an illness
- dispensable – not necessary; can be removed
- dissatisfied – not happy with something
- dominant – most important or powerful
- drunkenness – the state of being drunk
- easily – without difficulty
- ecstasy – a feeling of great happiness
- effect – a result or change caused by something
- efficiency – doing something well without wasting time or resources
- eighth – number 8 in a series
- either – one or the other of two things
- eligible – allowed to do or have something
- eliminate – to remove or get rid of
- embarrass – to make someone feel shy or ashamed
- emperor – a male ruler of an empire
- encouragement – words or actions that give someone hope or support
- enemy – a person who hates or wants to harm you
- encouraging – giving hope or confidence
- entirely – completely
- environment – the world around us
- equipped – having what is needed
- equivalent – equal in value or meaning
- especially – more than others; particularly
- exaggerate – to make something seem bigger or better than it is
- exceed – to be more than
- excellence – very good quality
- exhaust – to make someone very tired
- existence – the state of being real or alive
- existent – something that exists
- expense – the cost or price of something
- experience – something that happens to you or what you have done
- experiment – a test to learn or prove something
- explanation – a reason that makes something clear
- extremely – very; a lot
- exuberance – full of energy and excitement
- facsimile – an exact copy
- fallacious – not true; based on a mistake
- fallacy – a false idea
- familiar – well known or easily recognized
- fascinating – very interesting
- feasible – possible or able to be done
- February – the second month of the year
- fictitious – not real; made up
- fiery – like fire; showing strong emotion
- finally – at last; after a long time
- financially – in a way that relates to money
- fluorescent – giving off bright light
- forcibly – using force
- foreign – from another country
- forfeit – to lose something because of a mistake or rule
- formerly – in the past
- foresee – to know about something before it happens
- forty – the number 40
- fourth – number 4 in a series
- fueling – supplying with something to keep it going
- fulfill – to do what is required or expected
- fundamentally – in a basic or essential way
- gauge – to measure or judge something
- generally – usually; in most cases
- genius – a very smart person
- government – the group of people who run a country
- governor – the leader of a state or region
- grammar – the rules for using words in a language
- grievous – very serious or severe
- guarantee – a promise that something will happen or work
- guardian – someone who protects or takes care of someone else
- guerrilla – a member of a small fighting group
- guidance – help or advice
- handkerchief – a piece of cloth for wiping your nose or face
- happily – in a happy way
- harass – to bother or attack someone repeatedly
- height – how tall something or someone is
- heinous – very evil or shocking
- hemorrhage – heavy bleeding
- heroes – people admired for being brave or good
- hesitancy – not sure or slow to do something
- hindrance – something that makes it hard to do something
- hoarse – having a rough or weak voice
- hoping – wanting something to happen
- humorous – funny
- hygiene – keeping yourself and things clean to stay healthy
- hypocrisy – pretending to be what you are not
- hypocrite – a person who pretends to be good or moral
- ideally – in the best possible way
- idiosyncrasy – a strange or unusual habit
- ignorance – not knowing about something
- imaginary – not real; made up in your mind
- immediately – right away; without waiting
- implement – to put a plan or idea into action
- incidentally – by the way; not the main point
- incredible – hard to believe; amazing
- independence – freedom from control by others
- independent – not needing help from others
- indicted – officially charged with a crime
- indispensable – very important; can’t be done without
- inevitable – sure to happen; cannot be avoided
- influential – able to change or affect someone or something
- information – facts or details about something
- inoculate – to give a vaccine to protect from disease
- insurance – a promise to pay for loss or damage
- intelligence – the ability to learn and understand
- interference – getting in the way of something
- interrupt – to stop someone from speaking or doing something
- introduce – to make someone known to others
- irrelevant – not important or related
- irresistible – too attractive or strong to refuse
- island – land surrounded by water
- jealousy – feeling upset when someone else has something you want
- judicial – related to judges or courts
- knowledge – what you know or understand
- laboratory – a place for scientific study or tests
- laid – put something down gently
- later – after a period of time
- latter – the second of two things mentioned
- legitimate – allowed by law or rules
- leisure – free time
- length – how long something is
- license – official permission to do something
- lieutenant – a military rank
- lightning – a bright flash in the sky during a storm
- likelihood – the chance that something will happen
- likely – probably going to happen
- loneliness – the feeling of being alone
- loose – not tight or not firmly fixed
- lose – to not have something anymore
- losing – not winning
- lovely – very beautiful or nice
- luxury – great comfort or something expensive
- magazine – a book with articles and pictures published regularly
- maintain – to keep something in good condition
- maintenance – the work of keeping something in good condition
- manageable – easy to control or handle
- maneuver – a movement or action that needs skill
- manufacture – to make something in large amounts
- marriage – the legal relationship between two people as partners
- mathematics – the study of numbers and shapes
- medicine – something used to treat illness
- millennium – a period of 1,000 years
- millionaire – a person who has a million units of money or more
- miniature – a very small copy of something
- minuscule – very small
- minutes – a unit of time; notes from a meeting
- miscellaneous – made up of many different kinds
- mischievous – liking to play tricks or cause trouble
- missile – a weapon that flies through the air
- misspelled – spelled incorrectly
- mortgage – a loan to buy a house
- mosquito – a small flying insect that bites people
- mosquitoes – more than one mosquito
- murmur – to speak quietly or softly
- muscle – a body part that helps you move
- mysterious – difficult to understand or explain
- narrative – a story or account of events
- naturally – in a normal or usual way
- necessary – needed; required
- necessity – something that is needed
- neighbor – a person who lives near you
- neutron – a part of an atom with no electric charge
- ninety – the number 90
- ninth – number 9 in a series
- noticeable – easy to see or notice
- nowadays – at the present time
- nuisance – something or someone annoying
- obedience – doing what you are told
- obstacle – something that gets in the way
- occasion – a special event or time
- occasionally – sometimes but not often
- occurred – happened
- occurrence – something that happens
- official – approved or done by authority
- omission – something that is left out
- omit – to leave out
- omitted – left out
- opinion – what someone thinks or believes
- opponent – a person you compete or fight against
- opportunity – a chance to do something
- oppression – cruel or unfair treatment
- optimism – hopefulness about the future
- optimistic – expecting good things to happen
- orchestra – a large group of musicians playing together
- ordinarily – usually; in a normal way
- origin – where something begins or comes from
- outrageous – very shocking or unusual
- overrun – filled with too many people or things
- pamphlets – small booklets with information
- parallel – two lines that are always the same distance apart
- particular – specific; one special thing
- pavilion – a small, open building used for events
- peaceable – wanting to avoid fighting
- peculiar – strange or unusual
- penetrate – to go into or through something
- perceive – to see or understand something
- performance – how well someone does something
- permanent – lasting forever
- permissible – allowed
- permitted – allowed
- perseverance – continuing to try, even when it’s hard
- persistence – not giving up
- personal – about yourself
- personnel – the people who work for a company
- perspiration – sweat
- physical – about the body
- physician – a doctor
- piece – a part of something
- pilgrimage – a journey for a religious purpose
- pitiful – causing feelings of sadness or sympathy
- planning – making plans for something
- pleasant – nice; enjoyable
- portray – to show or describe something or someone
- possess – to have or own something
- possession – something that you own
- possessive – not wanting to share things or people
- potato – a round vegetable that grows in the ground
- potatoes – more than one potato
- possibility – something that could happen
- possible – able to be done
- practically – almost; nearly
- prairie – a large, flat area of grassland
- precede – to come before
- precedence – being more important than something else
- preceding – coming before something else
- preference – what you like more than something else
- preferred – liked more
- prejudice – an unfair opinion about someone or something
- preparation – getting ready for something
- prescription – a written order from a doctor for medicine
- prevalent – common; widespread
- primitive – simple; from an early time
- principal – the most important; a school leader
- principle – a basic rule or belief
- privilege – a special advantage or right
- probably – likely to happen
- procedure – a way of doing something
- proceed – to continue or go forward
- profession – a job that needs special education
- professor – a teacher at a college or university
- prominent – important or well known
- pronounce – to say a word in the correct way
- pronunciation – the way a word is said
- propaganda – information used to influence people’s opinions
- psychology – the study of the mind and behavior
- publicly – in a way that many people can see or know
- pursue – to try to get or do something over time
- quantity – an amount or number of something
- quarantine – keeping someone away to prevent illness from spreading
- questionnaire – a set of written questions
- quizzes – short tests
- realistically – in a way that is true to life
- realize – to understand or become aware of something
- really – truly; in fact
- recede – to move back or away
- receipt – a piece of paper that shows you paid for something
- receive – to get something
- recognize – to know someone or something because you have seen them before
- recommend – to say that something is good
- reference – mentioning or pointing to something
- referring – talking or writing about something
- relevant – related or important to what is happening
- relieving – making pain or worry less
- religious – connected to religion
- remembrance – the act of remembering
- reminiscence – remembering past events
- repetition – doing or saying something again
- representative – a person who speaks or acts for others
- resemblance – being similar to someone or something
- reservoir – a place where water is stored
- resistance – fighting against or not accepting something
- restaurant – a place where you can buy and eat food
- rheumatism – a disease that causes pain in the joints
- rhythm – a pattern of sounds or movements
- rhythmical – having a regular pattern of sounds or movements
- ridiculous – silly or unreasonable
- roommate – a person you share a room or apartment with
- sacrilegious – disrespectful toward something sacred
- sacrifice – giving up something to help someone or for a reason
- safety – being safe; not in danger
- salary – money you earn from a job
- satellite – an object that moves around a planet
- scary – causing fear
- scenery – the natural beauty you see in a place
- schedule – a plan for when things will happen
- secede – to break away from a group or country
- secretary – a person whose job is to help with office work
- seize – to take something quickly and by force
- sense – a feeling or understanding about something
- sentence – a group of words that expresses a complete thought
- separate – not joined; to divide
- separation – the act of dividing or moving apart
- sergeant – a low-ranking officer in the army or police
- several – more than two but not many
- severely – in a very serious way
- shepherd – a person who takes care of sheep
- shining – giving off light
- siege – surrounding a place to force it to surrender
- similar – like something else but not the same
- simile – a phrase comparing two things using “like” or “as”
- simply – in an easy or clear way
- simultaneous – happening at the same time
- sincerely – honestly and openly
- skiing – moving over snow on skis
- sophomore – a second-year student
- souvenir – something kept to remember a place or event
- specifically – clearly and exactly
- specimen – a sample or example of something
- sponsor – a person or group that pays for or supports something
- spontaneous – happening suddenly, not planned
- statistics – numbers that show information
- stopped – not moving or happening anymore
- strategy – a plan to reach a goal
- strength – the quality of being strong
- strenuous – needing a lot of energy and effort
- stubbornness – being unwilling to change
- studying – learning about a subject
- subordinate – lower in rank or position
- subtle – not obvious or easy to notice
- succeed – to do well or reach a goal
- success – reaching a goal or doing well
- succession – a series or sequence
- sufficient – as much as needed
- supersede – to take the place of something older
- suppress – to stop something by force
- surprise – something unexpected
- surround – to be all around something
- susceptible – easily affected or harmed by something
- suspicious – thinking something is wrong
- syllable – a single sound in a word
- symmetrical – the same on both sides
- synonymous – having the same meaning
- tangible – able to be touched or felt
- technical – relating to a skill or science
- technique – a special way of doing something
- temperamental – easily becoming upset or angry
- temperature – how hot or cold something is
- tendency – a usual way of behaving
- themselves – those same people
- theories – ideas that explain something
- therefore – for that reason
- thorough – complete; with nothing missing
- though – in spite of; although
- through – from one side to the other
- tomorrow – the day after today
- tournament – a competition with many players or teams
- toward – in the direction of
- tragedy – a very sad or terrible event
- transferring – moving from one place to another
- tries – attempts
- truly – really; honestly
- twelfth – number 12 in a series
- tyranny – cruel and unfair control over people
- unanimous – all agreeing on the same thing
- undoubtedly – without doubt
- unforgettable – very memorable
- unique – one of a kind
- unnecessary – not needed
- until – up to the time of
- usable – able to be used
- usage – the way something is used
- usually – most of the time
- utilization – the act of using something
- vacuum – a space with no air
- valuable – worth a lot
- vengeance – the act of getting back at someone
- vigilant – watchful and alert
- village – a small town
- villain – a bad person in a story
- violence – behavior that hurts people or property
- visible – able to be seen
- vision – the ability to see
- virtue – moral goodness
- volume – how much space something takes
- warrant – to justify or deserve
- warriors – people who fight in battles
- weather – the state of the air outside
- Wednesday – the third day of the workweek
- weird – strange or unusual
- wherever – in or to any place
- whether – if it is true or not
- which – the one or ones referred to
- wholly – completely
- withdrawal – the act of taking back or leaving
- woman – an adult female
- women – more than one woman
- worthwhile – worth the time or effort
- writing – words arranged in a way to communicate
- yacht – a large boat used for pleasure
- yield – to produce or give way
- young – not old