Spelling errors can happen to anyone, and it’s interesting to note that even the word “misspelled” is often spelled as “mispelled.” Mistakes are especially common with homophones, which are words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. For example, “there,” “their,” and “they’re” all sound the same but are spelled differently, which can cause confusion.
Additionally, there are differences between American and British English spelling, which can make things even more complicated. For instance, Americans spell “colorful” without a “u,” while the British spell it “colorful” with a “u.” The names of states can also be confusing, especially for those with complex histories.
Fortunately, in today’s digital age, we have access to online dictionaries that can help us quickly check our spelling. Smartphones also have autocorrect features, though they aren’t always accurate. However, there may still be some words that are difficult to spell, even for the most skilled speller. For example, “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” is a word that many people struggle to spell correctly.
To help out, we’ve compiled a list of 50 commonly misspelled words from various online resources, including dictionaries.
Spelling Insights
- Accommodate: Often misspelled with one ‘c’ or one’ m,’ but we won’t accommodate those errors.
- Apparently: Sometimes misspelled as ‘apparantly.’
- Argument: Frequently misspelled as ‘arguement,’ but let’s not argue over that.
- Aural/Oral:These homophones, related to hearing and speaking, are often confused.
- Assassination: Occasionally misspelled with three ‘s’s’ instead of four.
- Basically: Commonly misspelled as ‘basicly.’
- Beautiful: The most common ‘how to spell’ search in multiple states in 2018.
- Beginning: A top ‘how to spell’ search in South Carolina.
- Bellwether: Often misspelled with an ‘a’; it means an indicator or predictor.
- Bizarre: Frequently misspelled as ‘bizzare.’
- Calendar: Has two ‘a’s’ and one’ e,’ not the reverse.
- Canceled: Varied spellings exist; one ‘l’ is preferred in America, while two are acceptable.
- Caribbean: Has one ‘r’ and two ‘b’s.’
- Chaos: The most common ‘how to spell’ search in South Dakota.
- Connecticut: Frequently misspelled, even mentioned in a Woody Allen movie.
- Consequences: The most common ‘how to spell’ search in Kansas in 2018.
- Cousin: The most common ‘how to spell’ search in Alabama in 2018 due to the silent ‘o.’
- Desert/Dessert: Frequently confused, but the difference lies in stress and a single ‘s.’
- Dilemma: Poses a spelling dilemma, often misspelled with an ‘n’ instead of two ‘m’s.’
- Disappoint: Risk disappointing your English teacher by spelling it with two ‘s’s’ and one’ p.’
- Dying: The most common ‘how to spell’ search in Rhode Island, despite its morbid nature.
- Embarrass: To avoid embarrassment, note the correct spelling with two ‘r’s’ and two ‘s’s.’
- Ecstasy: No need to agonize; it’s spelled with one ‘c’ and two ‘s’s.’
- Fahrenheit: Two ‘h’s’ in Fahrenheit, so no need to get hot and bothered.
- Fiance: A fiancé for a man and fiancée for a woman, both with accents reflecting their French origin.
- Fluorescent: Bright people know there’s a ‘u’ in fluorescent.
- Forty: Though similar to ‘four,’ it lacks a ‘u.’
- Hors d’oeuvre: The most common ‘how to spell’ search in Florida in 2018, of French origin, meaning appetizer.
- Harass: Don’t let it bother you; it has one ‘r’ and two ‘s’s.’
- Massachusetts: Even residents struggle; it was the most common ‘how to spell’ search in the state in 2016.
- Millennium: Often missing an ‘l’ and/or an ‘n,’ especially when Millennials are involved.
- Mississippi: With two ‘p’s,’ three ‘i’s,’ and four’ s’s,’ it’s understandably prone to misspelling.
- Misspelled: Ironically, misspelled is frequently misspelled as ‘mispelled.’
- Nocturnal: Though seemingly simple, it was the most common ‘how to spell’ search in Nebraska in 2018.
- Noticeable: The inclusion of an ‘e’ in the middle is sometimes unnoticed by people.
- Occasion: Whether it’s one ‘c’ or two and one ‘s’ or two, occasions cause spelling uncertainty.
- Occurred: Omitting a ‘c’ and/or an ‘r’ is a common occurrence with this word.
- Permanent: Topping the ‘how to spell’ searches in Washington, D.C., in 2018, perhaps due to the lack of term limits for members of Congress.
- Resume: The most common search in New York, New Jersey, and Colorado in 2018, with ambiguity between the verb ‘resume’ and the curriculum vitae’ resumé.’
- Sincerely: Surprisingly, the most common search in Connecticut in 2018 for its spelling.
- Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious: Understandably challenging, it was the most common search in six states, raising the question of its frequent use.
- Tattoo: Often misspelled with only two ‘t’s,’ and misspelled tattoos are a popular meme.
- Tendency: Resist the tendency to insert an ‘a.’
- Threshold: Keep in mind there’s only one ‘h’ in the middle of the ”threshold.”
- Tomorrow: Don’t delay this until another day; remember, tomorrow has one “m” and two “r’s.”
- Truly: Trust me—while “true” has an “e,” “truly” doesn’t.
- Vacuum: Often misspelled with two “c’s” and one “u,” and occasionally with an “e” thrown in.
- Veteran: Surprisingly, the most common “how to spell” search in Alaska in 2018 was for “veteran,” according to Google.
- Weird: It might feel strange, but remember to place the “e” before the “i” when spelling “weird.”
- Yacht: Interestingly, this was the most common “how to spell” search in landlocked North Dakota in 2018, as per Google.
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