abroad

/əˈbɹɔːd/

//əˈbɹɔːd// adv

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

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

The verdict

“abroad” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,665 in English word frequency and used as an adverb.

#3,665
frequency rank, English
6
letters
8
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Beyond the bounds of a country; in foreign countries.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

abroad vs abra
67% similar
abroad vs abram
67% similar
abroad vs aboard
67% similar

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

Key facts for abroad
PropertyValue
Headwordabroad
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/əˈbɹɔːd/
Letters6
Frequency rank#3,665
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “abroad” 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). abroad 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 abroad is 6 letters long, classified as an adverb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˈbɹɔːd/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,665 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 6 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 abroad, with forms such as "abbroad", "aborad", and "abraod". 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, "abra", "abram", "aboard", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: First attested in mid 13th century. From Middle English abrood (“broadly widely scattered”), from a- (“on, in”) + brood (“broad”). Equivalent to a- + broad. The correct English form is abroad, spelled A-B-R-O-A-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    Beyond the bounds of a country; in foreign countries.
  2. 2
    At large; widely; broadly; over a wide space.
  3. 3
    Without a certain confine; outside the house; away from one's abode.
  4. 4
    Before the public at large; throughout society or the world; here and there; moving without restriction.
  5. 5
    Not on target; astray; in error; confused; dazed.
  6. 6
    Played elsewhere than one's home grounds.

Etymology

First attested in mid 13th century. From Middle English abrood (“broadly widely scattered”), from a- (“on, in”) + brood (“broad”). Equivalent to a- + broad.

This word in other languages

de tous côtés(Français)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: abbroad,aborad,abraod,abroadd,abroda,abrroad,arboad,baroad

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

abbroad1aborad2abraod2abroadd1abroda2abrroad1arboad2baroad2
Edit distance from "abroad"

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 "abroad"?
"abroad" is spelled A-B-R-O-A-D. The IPA pronunciation is /əˈbɹɔːd/.
What does "abroad" mean?
As an adverb, "abroad" means: Beyond the bounds of a country; in foreign countries.
What words are commonly confused with "abroad"?
"abroad" is commonly confused with "abra", "abram", "aboard". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "abroad"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "abroad" is /əˈbɹɔːd/. 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 "abroad"?
First attested in mid 13th century. From Middle English abrood (“broadly widely scattered”), from a- (“on, in”) + brood (“broad”). Equivalent to a- + broad. 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 “abroad”

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

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