30 of the Most Commonly Misspelled Words—Get Ready To Quiz Yourself or Test Your Friends
Your cheat sheet for 30 of the most difficult words to spell.
Let's face it. Some words are just not spelled how they sound, and unless you're a spelling bee champion, you may need a little bit of assistance in figuring out just how some of them are put together. There are plenty of hard words to spell, after all!
We all learned to "sound it out!" when trying to spell a word we'd never used before, but in a lot of cases, that won't actually help you out—especially for the hardest ones.
If you're preparing to embark on a career that comprises the written word more frequently, or if you want to be able to impress your friends with the tricky words you know how to spell, or if you're just bored and want to master some difficult words, we have the best list for your entertainment!
Related: 'Backpack Pants' and 'Gimme Pigs'—Parents Are Sharing Funny Words from Their Toddlers
30 Hard Words To Spell
1. Occasionally
While this one does sound like it's spelled, some of the time, one (or both) of the double consonants are left out.
2. Pastime
It may seem like this word leaves out a double consonant, with the combination of "past" and "time." However, there is only one "t" in the correct spelling.
3. Acknowledgment
To make this one even more difficult, the British-accepted spelling of this word adds an "e," making it "acknowledgement."
Related: What Does 'POV' Actually Mean? (Its Use on Social Media Is Slightly Different Than IRL!)
4. Acquiesce
To accept something reluctantly seems fitting for how this word is spelled! It sounds like 'ack-we-ess' but somehow, a "q" is thrown in there.
5. Liquefy
Rather frustratingly, there is no "i" at the end of this word, despite "liquid" utilizing one.
6. Ubiquitous
Technology is quite ubiquitous these days, but using this word is just the opposite! While it means to be everywhere, this word seems to be used less and less—making it difficult to know how to spell.
7. Changeable
That 'e' after 'change' should definitely be there, but it just doesn't feel like it should be.
Related: Spelling Bee Champion Spells 21 Words Correctly in 90 Seconds
8. Vicious
Somehow, one of the common, initial spellings of this comes out as "viscous," which is sticky, but not necessarily aggressive.
9. Rhythm
Most commonly misspelled as "rythm," that extra "h" somehow makes this word flow just that much better.
10. Hierarchy
Pronounced "hi-er-arc-ee," this word seems like it should be spelled "hirearkee," which is not any easier than how it's actually spelled.
11. Entrepreneur
We all know that this means a person who starts or runs their own business, but do we always know how it's spelled? Not quite.
Related: You’ve Heard It Plenty of Times, but What Exactly Does ‘In Lieu Of’ Mean?
12. Colloquial
Ironically, this word means informal, or able to be used in ordinary conversation. If you ask me, "colloquial" sounds like a fairly formal word!
13. Pneumonia
"Ne-moan-ee-uh" is how this word sounds, even though there's a silent "p" at the beginning. Much like "pterodactyl" (but also much less fun!).
14. Embarrass
I'm embarrassed to say that I almost always have to look this one up when I'm spelling it!
15. Nauseous
Even though the correct term for feeling sick is "nauseated," "nauseous" is still accepted. By true definition, nauseous means something that causes nausea.
Related: National Spelling Bee: Winning Words
16. Indispensable
When something is indispensable it means that it's absolutely necessary—much like remembering that this word begins with "indi" and not "inde."
17. Narcissistic
We've all met a narcissist, right? Count yourself lucky if you haven't! But either way, good luck getting in all the c's and s's on a regular basis.
Related: Taylor Swift Might Have Embraced the Term, but What Exactly Is a 'Covert Narcissist'?
18. Vengeance
Another word for "retaliation" (which is what you might be thinking of if someone asks you to spell this).
19. Resuscitate
That "s" right next to the "c" can really throw a person off.
20. Exacerbate
Not knowing how to spell this word can really exacerbate your feelings about a spelling test.
Related: These 105 Funny-Sounding Words Are So Wacky & Unusual, You Won't Believe They're Real!
21. Onomatopoeia
Relating to how something sounds is a seemingly simple definition for "onomatopoeia."
22. Connoisseur
Master this word and you'll be on your way to being a real connoisseur of spelling!
Related: 'How to Spell...?' The Most Searched Word Spellings By State
23. Surveillance
Remember to closely observe how you spell this word.
24. Conscientious
This word has us conscientious of how we're spelling it—we don't want to make any mistakes.
25. Privileged
Even though the end of this word sounds like "ledge," there is no "d" before the "g."
Related: Is It 'Grey' or 'Gray'? The Correct Spelling of the Word Gray is a Very Grey Area
26. Eloquent
Knowing how to spell this word and its variations will definitely prove your eloquence!
27. Playwright
That's right. Playwright. The natural inclination for many is to spell this "playwrite."
28. Twelfth
For some (probably logical) reason "twelve" loses the "v" and gains an "f" when it becomes an identifier.
Related: What Does 'SOS' Mean? Surprisingly, It's Likely Not What You Think
29. Bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is a group of state officials who make decisions as opposed to elected officials making those decisions. (Maybe they should have decided on an easier word to spell for their title.)
30. Fuchsia
Fuchsia is such a pretty color and yet such a frustrating thing to spell. Fuchia? Fyoosha? Nope. Fuchsia. Phew!
Continue Reading:
