ablaze

/əˈbleɪz/

//əˈbleɪz// adj

"ablaze" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“ablaze” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #31,424 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#31,424
frequency rank, English
6
letters
8
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Burning fiercely; in a blaze; on fire.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

ablaze vs able
67% similar
ablaze vs amaze
67% similar
ablaze vs abate
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for ablaze
PropertyValue
Headwordablaze
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/əˈbleɪz/
Letters6
Frequency rank#31,424
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “ablaze” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). ablaze lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for ablaze is 6 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˈbleɪz/. Corpus data places it at rank #31,424 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for ablaze, with forms such as "abalze", "abblaze", and "ablaez". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "able", "amaze", "abate", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From a- (“on, in”) + blaze (“flame”). The correct English form is ablaze, spelled A-B-L-A-Z-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Burning fiercely; in a blaze; on fire.
  2. 2
    Radiant with bright light and color.
  3. 3
    In a state of glowing excitement, ardent desire, or other strong emotion.

Etymology

From a- (“on, in”) + blaze (“flame”).

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: abalze,abblaze,ablaez,ablazze,abllaze,ablzae,albaze,balaze

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of ablaze - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

abalze2abblaze1ablaez2ablazze1abllaze1ablzae2albaze2balaze2
Edit distance from "ablaze"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "ablaze"?
"ablaze" is spelled A-B-L-A-Z-E. The IPA pronunciation is /əˈbleɪz/.
What does "ablaze" mean?
As an adjective, "ablaze" means: Burning fiercely; in a blaze; on fire.
What words are commonly confused with "ablaze"?
"ablaze" is commonly confused with "able", "amaze", "abate". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "ablaze"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "ablaze" is /əˈbleɪz/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "ablaze"?
From a- (“on, in”) + blaze (“flame”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “ablaze”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is A-B-L-A-Z-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /əˈbleɪz/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “able” - see the side-by-side comparison. ablaze vs able
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list