abreast

/əˈbɹɛst/

//əˈbɹɛst// adv

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"abreast" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“abreast” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #30,670 in English word frequency and used as an adverb.

#30,670
frequency rank, English
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Side by side and facing forward.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

abreast vs arrest
71% similar

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

Key facts for abreast
PropertyValue
Headwordabreast
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/əˈbɹɛst/
Letters7
Frequency rank#30,670
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “abreast” 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). abreast 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 abreast is 7 letters long, classified as an adverb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˈbɹɛst/. Corpus data places it at rank #30,670 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for abreast, with forms such as "abbreast", "aberast", and "abraest". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "arrest", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English abrest. By surface analysis, a- (“on, at”) + breast, meaning “breasts (chests) in line, side-by-side and exactly equally advanced”; roughly “breast-by-breast”. The correct English form is abreast, spelled A-B-R-E-A-S-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Side by side and facing forward.
  2. 2
    Alongside; parallel to.
  3. 3
    Informed, well-informed, familiar, acquainted.
  4. 4
    Followed by of or with: up to a certain level or line; equally advanced.
  5. 5
    Breast high (of an advancing wave).
  6. 6
    Side by side; also, opposite; on a line with the vessel's beam.
  7. 7
    At the same time; simultaneously.

Etymology

From Middle English abrest. By surface analysis, a- (“on, at”) + breast, meaning “breasts (chests) in line, side-by-side and exactly equally advanced”; roughly “breast-by-breast”.

Synonyms

apprisedinformedup to dateup-to-date

This word in other languages

al corriente(Español)côte à côte(Français)beieinander(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: abbreast,aberast,abraest,abreasst,abreastt,abreats,abresat,abrreast,arbeast,bareast

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of abreast - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

abbreast1aberast2abraest2abreasst1abreastt1abreats2abresat2abrreast1
Edit distance from "abreast"

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 "abreast"?
"abreast" is spelled A-B-R-E-A-S-T. The IPA pronunciation is /əˈbɹɛst/.
What does "abreast" mean?
As an adverb, "abreast" means: Side by side and facing forward.
What words are commonly confused with "abreast"?
"abreast" is commonly confused with "arrest". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "abreast"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "abreast" is /əˈbɹɛst/. 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 "abreast"?
From Middle English abrest. By surface analysis, a- (“on, at”) + breast, meaning “breasts (chests) in line, side-by-side and exactly equally advanced”; roughly “breast-by-breast”. 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 “abreast”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is A-B-R-E-A-S-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /əˈbɹɛst/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “arrest” - see the side-by-side comparison. abreast vs arrest
  • 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