alignment

/əˈlaɪn.mənt/

//əˈlaɪn.mənt// noun

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

"alignment" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“alignment” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #9,844. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#9,844
frequency rank, English
3,931
“A” headwords
14
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - An arrangement of items in a line.

Corpus desk

Index EN-alignment · alignment · English

alignment · rank #9,844 · 14 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-COMMON #9,844
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,931
  • PHOTO-FINISH allergic

Nearest frequency peer: allergic (+1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “alignment”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “alignment” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

alignment vs assignment
80% similar

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

Key facts for alignment
PropertyValue
Headwordalignment
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/əˈlaɪn.mənt/
Letters9
Frequency rank#9,844
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “alignment”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).alignmentlands here:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “allergic” (#9,845), “academics” (#9,842), “Allison” (#9,846). Among 3,931 “A” headwords, “alignment” is #9,844. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around alignment (IPA /əˈlaɪn.mənt/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #9,844 among 3,931 “A” headwords. Wiktionary lists 9 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for alignment, with forms such as "ailgnment", "alginment", and "aliggnment". 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 1 confusable-pair relationship, "assignment", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From French alignement, by surface analysis, align + -ment. The correct English form is alignment, spelled A-L-I-G-N-M-E-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    An arrangement of items in a line.
  2. 2
    The process of adjusting a mechanism such that its parts are aligned; the condition of having its parts so adjusted.
  3. 3
    An alliance of factions.
  4. 4
    The goals and values of an artificial intelligence, considered relative to human ethical standards.
  5. 5
    One of a set number of moral positions or philosophies a character can take.
  6. 6
    The conjunction of two celestial objects.
  7. 7
    The precise route or course taken by a linear way (road, railway, footpath, etc.) between two points.
  8. 8
    A way of arranging DNA, RNA or protein sequences in order to identify regions of similarity.
  9. 9
    ground plan of a canal or road

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how alignment appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. the alignment problem
  2. the alignment tax

Etymology

From French alignement, by surface analysis, align + -ment.

This word in other languages

alineación(Español)alignement(Français)Ausrichtung(Deutsch)alinhamento(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ailgnment
  • alginment
  • aliggnment
  • aligmnent
  • alignemnt
  • alignmennt
  • alignmentt
  • alignmetn
  • alignmment
  • alignmnet
  • alignnment
  • alingment
  • allignment
  • laignment

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ailgnment2alginment2aliggnment1aligmnent2alignemnt2alignmennt1alignmentt1alignmetn2
Edit distance from "alignment"

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 "alignment"?
"alignment" is spelled A-L-I-G-N-M-E-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /əˈlaɪn.mənt/.
What does "alignment" mean?
As a noun, "alignment" means: An arrangement of items in a line.
What words are commonly confused with "alignment"?
"alignment" is commonly confused with "assignment". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "alignment"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "alignment" is /əˈlaɪn.mənt/. 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 "alignment"?
From French alignement, by surface analysis, align + -ment. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "alignment", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

academics#9,842apparatus#9,848traumatic#9,832commenced#9,861

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (14 here; floor ≥5).

aboriginal14 variantscrystals14 variantsspokesman14 variantsrendering14 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list