accept

/əkˈsɛpt/

//əkˈsɛpt// verb

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

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

The verdict

“accept” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,473 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#1,473
frequency rank, English
6
letters
7
tracked misspellings
10
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To receive, especially with a consent, with favour, or with approval.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

accept vs acct
67% similar
accept vs adept
67% similar
accept vs access
67% similar

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

Key facts for accept
PropertyValue
Headwordaccept
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/əkˈsɛpt/
Letters6
Frequency rank#1,473
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs10
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “accept” 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). accept 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 accept is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əkˈsɛpt/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,473 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 11 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for accept, with forms such as "acceppt", "acceptt", and "accetp". 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 10 confusable-pair relationships, "acct", "adept", "access", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: First attested about 1380. From Middle English accepten, borrowed from Old French accepter, or directly from Latin acceptō, acceptāre (“receive”), frequentative of accipiō, formed from ad- + capiō (“to take”). Displaced native Old English onfōn. The correct English form is accept, spelled A-C-C-E-P-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    To receive, especially with a consent, with favour, or with approval.
  2. 2
    To admit to a place or a group.
  3. 3
    To regard as proper, usual, true, or to believe in.
  4. 4
    To receive as adequate or satisfactory.
  5. 5
    To receive or admit to; to agree to; to assent to; to submit to.
  6. 6
    To endure patiently.
  7. 7
    To acknowledge patiently without opposition or resistance.
  8. 8
    To agree to pay.
  9. 9
    To receive officially.
  10. 10
    To receive something willingly.
  11. 11
    To do a service done by an establishment.

Etymology

First attested about 1380. From Middle English accepten, borrowed from Old French accepter, or directly from Latin acceptō, acceptāre (“receive”), frequentative of accipiō, formed from ad- + capiō (“to take”). Displaced native Old English onfōn.

Antonyms

rejectdecline

This word in other languages

aceptar(Español)accepter(Français)annehmen(Deutsch)aceitar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: acceppt,acceptt,accetp,accpet,acecpt,acept,cacept

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of accept - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

acceppt1acceptt1accetp2accpet2acecpt2acept1cacept2
Edit distance from "accept"

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 "accept"?
"accept" is spelled A-C-C-E-P-T. The IPA pronunciation is /əkˈsɛpt/.
What does "accept" mean?
As a verb, "accept" means: To receive, especially with a consent, with favour, or with approval.
What words are commonly confused with "accept"?
"accept" is commonly confused with "acct", "adept", "access". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "accept"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "accept" is /əkˈsɛpt/. 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 "accept"?
First attested about 1380. From Middle English accepten, borrowed from Old French accepter, or directly from Latin acceptō, acceptāre (“receive”), frequentative of accipiō, formed from ad- + capiō (“to take”). Displaced native Old English onfōn. 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 “accept”

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

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