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Are You Misspelling These Very Common English Words?

Are You Misspelling These Very Common English Words?

At first glance, English may seem fairly simple, especially for native speakers. However, its intricacies make it more challenging to master than one might assume. Even those who have spoken the language their entire lives find certain words tricky. After all, English is rife with opportunities for confusion. Homophones – words that sound identical yet have different spellings and meanings – trip up even the most seasoned writers from time to time.

Case in point: the frequently misspelled word “misspelled” itself. Moreover, divergences between American and British spelling standards only add complexity; for instance, “colorful” and “colourful” sock preferences across the pond.

Homophones aren’t the only words that are often misspelled. Americans sometimes even spell the names of states incorrectly, particularly those with complicated backgrounds – this is how each state got its name.

To compile a list of the top misspelled words in English, 24/7 Tempo reviewed various online articles, and resources, including dictionaries. Many of these words are used in everyday conversations while others, like Bellwether, are only used in certain circumstances.

English’ abundance of silent letters, odd rules, and ample inconsistencies give spellers of all levels a lot of trouble.

Here are the top misspelled words in English:

Accommodate

Source: monkeybusinessimages / Getty Images

Source: monkeybusinessimages / Getty Images

Accommodate is often misspelled with one “c” and/or one “m.” We won’t accommodate either.

Apparently

Source: Vasyl Dolmatov / Getty Images

Source: Vasyl Dolmatov / Getty Images

Apparently, apparently is sometimes misspelled as apparantly.

Argument

Mocking Bird Argument by Chiltepinster
Source: Chiltepinster / Wikimedia Commons

This is often misspelled as arguement, but let’s not argue over that.

Aural/Oral

Source: SIphotography / Getty Images

Source: SIphotography / Getty Images

These homonyms have related meanings: aural refers to the ear or hearing and oral to the mouth or speaking.

Assassination

Source: aruba200 / Getty Images

Source: aruba200 / Getty Images

People sometimes take a shot at spelling assassination with only three “s’s” instead of four.

Basically

Source: jacoblund / Getty Images

Source: jacoblund / Getty Images

People sometimes make a basic mistake with this one and spell it basicly.

Beautiful

Source: Mariana Mikhailova / Getty Images

Source: Mariana Mikhailova / Getty Images

According to Google, this is the most common “how to spell” search in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin in 2018.

Beginning

Source: FangXiaNuo / Getty Images

Source: FangXiaNuo / Getty Images

According to Google, this is the most common “how to spell” search in South Carolina.

Bellwether

This word, meaning an indicator or predictor, has nothing to do with the weather, but is often misspelled with an “a.”

Bizarre

Source: Sonsedska / Getty Images

Source: Sonsedska / Getty Images

Bizarre means strikingly unconventional. It’s not just unconventional to spell it bizzare — it’s plain wrong.

Calendar

Source: BrianAJackson / Getty Images

Source: BrianAJackson / Getty Images

Calendar has two “a’s” and one “e,” not one “a” and two “e’s”

Canceled

Source: XtockImages / Getty Images

Source: XtockImages / Getty Images

People in Maryland and Oklahoma aren’t sure how to spell canceled, according to Google Trends. And while one “l” is the preferred spelling in America, thanks to Noah Webster, two are still acceptable and more common in Britain.

Caribbean

Source: Preto_perola / Getty Images

Source: Preto_perola / Getty Images

Caribbean has one “r” and two “b’s” — make sure you get it right when you’re booking your vacation.

Chaos

Source: vit-plus / Getty Images

Source: vit-plus / Getty Images

According to Google Trends, this was the most common “how to spell” search in South Dakota. Sounds a bit ominous.

Connecticut

Source: SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images

Source: SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images

This state is misspelled so often, a character in the Woody Allen movie “Small Time Crooks” said, “I’ve always wanted to learn how to spell Connecticut.”

Consequences

Source: evgenyatamanenko / Getty Images

Source: evgenyatamanenko / Getty Images

This was the most common “how to spell” search in Kansas in 2018, according to Google Trends. What would Dorothy make of that?

Cousin

Source: WagenerPhotography / Getty Images

Source: WagenerPhotography / Getty Images

It’s family first in Alabama. According to Google Trends, cousin was the most common “how to spell” search in the state in 2018. The confusion apparently stems from the silent “o.”

Desert/Dessert

Source: panso / Getty Images

Source: panso / Getty Images

People often confuse desert, the sandy place, and dessert, the sweet treat. The difference is only an “s,” but with desert, the first syllable is stressed, and with dessert, the second.

Dilemma

Source: Deagreez / Getty Images

Source: Deagreez / Getty Images

This word creates a dilemma for some people, who spell it with an “n” instead of two “m’s”

Disappoint

Source: PeopleImages / Getty Images

Source: PeopleImages / Getty Images

You’ll disappoint your English teacher if you spell this with two “s’s” and one “p.”

Dying

Source: laflor / Getty Images

Source: laflor / Getty Images

This one is a bit morbid. According to Google, dying is the most common “how to spell” search in Rhode Island (which is among the states with the highest premature death rate).

Embarrass

Source: golubovy / Getty Images

Source: golubovy / Getty Images

To spare you embarrassment, this word has two “r’s” and two “s’s.”

Ecstasy

Source: CarlosDavid.org / Getty Images

Source: CarlosDavid.org / Getty Images

You don’t have to agonize over ecstasy — there’s one “c” and two “s’s,” not the other way round, and certainly no “x.”

Fahrenheit

Source: MarianVejcik / Getty Images

Source: MarianVejcik / Getty Images

There’s no need to get hot and bothered over this — there are two “h’s” in Fahrenheit.

Fiance

Source: PeopleImages / Getty Images

Source: PeopleImages / Getty Images

A fiancé is a man who is engaged to be married, a fiancée is a woman who is engaged to be married. And both have an accent, reflecting their French origin.

Fluorescent

Shining fluorescent lamp by Dmitry G
Source: Dmitry G / Wikimedia Commons

Bright people know there’s a “u” in fluorescent.

Forty

Sparkly numbers by Amanda Slater
Source: pikerslanefarm / Flickr

It’s a simple word, but it’s easy enough to see why people might get this one wrong — four has a “u” but forty doesn’t.

Hors d’oeuvre

Source: sutsaiy / Getty Images

Source: sutsaiy / Getty Images

According to Google Trends, this word of French origin meaning appetizer was the most common “how to spell” search in Florida in 2018.

Harass

Source: Sohel_Parvez_Haque / Getty Images

Source: Sohel_Parvez_Haque / Getty Images

Don’t let this word bother you — harass has one “r” and two “s’s.”

Massachusetts

Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images

Source: Sean Pavone / Getty Images

Even residents aren’t always sure how to spell Massachusetts correctly. In 2016 it was the most common “how to spell” search in the state itself, according to Google.

Millennium

Source: aluxum / Getty Images

Source: aluxum / Getty Images

People often leave out an “l” and/or an “n” from this word. Let’s hope Millennials get it right.

Mississippi

Source: Tiago_Fernandez / iStock

Source: Tiago_Fernandez / iStock

With two “p’s,” three “i’s” and four “s’s,” it’s easy to see why Mississippi might often be misspelled.

Misspelled

Source: gustavofrazao / Getty Images

Source: gustavofrazao / Getty Images

Ironically, misspelled is often misspelled as mispelled.

Nocturnal

Source: Denisapro / Getty Images

Source: Denisapro / Getty Images

This word looks simple enough that it shouldn’t keep you up at night. According to Google, however, nocturnal was the most common “how to spell” search in Nebraska in 2018.

Noticeable

Source: razyph / Getty Images

Source: razyph / Getty Images

People don’t always notice that there should be an “e” in the middle of this word.

Occasion

Source: wundervisuals / Getty Images

Source: wundervisuals / Getty Images

Whatever the occasion, people aren’t sure if there’s one “c” or two, and one “s” or two.

Occurred

Source: Doucefleur / Getty Images

Source: Doucefleur / Getty Images

It’s a common occurrence for people to omit a “c” and/or an “r” from this word.

Permanent

Source: stacey_newman / Getty Images

Source: stacey_newman / Getty Images

According to Google, this was the most common “how to spell” search in Washington, D.C. in 2018. Perhaps that’s because there aren’t term limits for members of the Senate or the House of Representatives.

Resume

Source: tommaso79 / Getty Images

Source: tommaso79 / Getty Images

This was the most common “how to spell” search in New York, New Jersey, and Colorado in 2018, according to Google. Google did not include an accent, so did Google/searchers mean the verb to begin again (resume) or curriculum vitae (resumé)? And an accent on one “e,” both “e’s,” or neither is acceptable.

Sincerely

Source: BlackSnake / Getty Images

Source: BlackSnake / Getty Images

Sincerely, this was the most common “how to spell” search in Connecticut in 2018, according to Google.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Source: Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios

Source: Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios

It’s easy to see why people might be unsure how to spell supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. It was the most common “how to spell” search in six states. However, it does beg the question: How often do they need to use it?

Tattoo

Source: Alex Pantling / Staff / Getty Images Sport

Source: Alex Pantling / Staff / Getty Images Sport

This word is often misspelled with just two “t’s.” What’s more, tattoos featuring spelling mistakes are a popular meme.

Tendency

Source: Sundaemorning / Getty Images

Source: Sundaemorning / Getty Images

You should resist the tendency to spell this with an “a.”

Threshold

Source: chuckcollier / Getty Images

Source: chuckcollier / Getty Images

There’s only one “h” in the middle of threshold.

Tomorrow

Source: Natthapon / Getty Images

Source: Natthapon / Getty Images

Don’t put this off till another day — tomorrow has one “m” and two “r’s.”

Truly

Source: DNY59 / Getty Images

Source: DNY59 / Getty Images

Believe me — true has an “e” but truly doesn’t.

Vacuum

Source: scyther5 / Getty Images

Source: scyther5 / Getty Images

People misspell this word with two “c’s” and one “u,” and sometimes with an “e” for good measure.

Veteran

Source: dangutsu / Getty Images

Source: dangutsu / Getty Images

According to Google, this was the most common “how to spell” search in Alaska in 2018.

Weird

Source: Martin Barraud / Getty Images

Source: Martin Barraud / Getty Images

It may seem weird, but people often spell this with the “i” before the “e.”

Yacht

Source: PaulVinten / Getty Images

Source: PaulVinten / Getty Images

According to Google, this was the most common “how to spell” search in North Dakota in 2018 — curious, since it’s a completely landlocked state.

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