active

/ˈæk.tɪv/

//ˈæk.tɪv// adj

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

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

The verdict

“active” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,239 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#1,239
frequency rank, English
6
letters
8
tracked misspellings
11
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Having the power or quality of acting; causing change; communicating action or motion; acting;—opposed to passive, that receives.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

active vs alive
67% similar
active vs Artie
50% similar
active vs arrive
67% similar

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

Key facts for active
PropertyValue
Headwordactive
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈæk.tɪv/
Letters6
Frequency rank#1,239
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs11
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “active” 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). active 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 active is 6 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈæk.tɪv/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,239 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 15 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 active, with forms such as "acctive", "acitve", and "actiev". 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 11 confusable-pair relationships, "alive", "Artie", "arrive", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ- Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti Proto-Italic *agō Latin agō Proto-Indo-European *-wósder. Latin -īvus ▲ Ancient Greek ἐνεργητῐκός (energētĭkós)sl. Latin āctīvusbor. Old French actifbor. Middle English actyf English act… The correct English form is active, spelled A-C-T-I-V-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Having the power or quality of acting; causing change; communicating action or motion; acting;—opposed to passive, that receives.
  2. 2
    Quick in physical movement; of an agile and vigorous body; nimble.
  3. 3
    In action; actually proceeding; working; in force
  4. 4
    In action; actually proceeding; working; in force
  5. 5
    Given to action; constantly engaged in action; energetic; diligent; busy
  6. 6
    Requiring or implying action or exertion
  7. 7
    Given to action rather than contemplation; practical; operative
  8. 8
    Brisk; lively.
  9. 9
    Implying or producing rapid action.
  10. 10
    About verbs.
  11. 11
    About verbs.
  12. 12
    About verbs.
  13. 13
    Eligible to be processed by a compiler or interpreter.
  14. 14
    Not passive.
  15. 15
    enjoying a role in anal sex in which he penetrates, rather than being penetrated by his partner.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ- Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti Proto-Italic *agō Latin agō Proto-Indo-European *-wósder. Latin -īvus ▲ Ancient Greek ἐνεργητῐκός (energētĭkós)sl. Latin āctīvusbor. Old French actifbor. Middle English actyf English active From Middle English actyf, from Old French actif, from Latin āctīv(us), from agere (“to do, to act”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti. By surface analysis, act + -ive.

Synonyms

abuzzsassyagileairyaliveanimateanimatedbriskbusybusy as a beebuxombuzzingdiligentdrivendrivingdynamiceagereffervescentenergeticenthusiasticexpeditiousfriskygayglowinghappyheartyimpetuousindustriouskeenkineticlivelymerrymobilemotivatedmovingnimblepeppyperkyrestivesnappyspiritedsprightlyspruntspryvibrantvigorousvivaciousvividwantonyouthfulzealouszestfulzippy

Antonyms

enervatedextinctinactivelithernondrivenquietrestfulsleepingslow

This word in other languages

activo(Español)actif(Français)aktiv(Deutsch)ativo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: acctive,acitve,actiev,activve,acttive,actvie,atcive,cative

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of active - 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.

acctive1acitve2actiev2activve1acttive1actvie2atcive2cative2
Edit distance from "active"

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 "active"?
"active" is spelled A-C-T-I-V-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈæk.tɪv/.
What does "active" mean?
As an adjective, "active" means: Having the power or quality of acting; causing change; communicating action or motion; acting;—opposed to passive, that receives.
What words are commonly confused with "active"?
"active" is commonly confused with "alive", "Artie", "arrive". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "active"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "active" is /ˈæk.tɪv/. 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 "active"?
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ- Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti Proto-Italic *agō Latin agō Proto-Indo-European *-wósder. Latin -īvus ▲ Ancient Greek ἐνεργητῐκός (energētĭkós)sl. Latin āctīvusbor. Old French actifbor. Middle English actyf E... 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 “active”

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

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