ameliorate
/əˈmiːli.əɹeɪt/
"ameliorate" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“ameliorate” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #49,183 in English word frequency and used as a verb.
- #49,183
- frequency rank, English
- 10
- letters
- 13
- tracked misspellings
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To make better, or improve, something perceived to be in a negative condition.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | ameliorate |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| IPA | /əˈmiːli.əɹeɪt/ |
| Letters | 10 |
| Frequency rank | #49,183 |
| Misspellings tracked | 13 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “ameliorate” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for ameliorate is 10 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˈmiːli.əɹeɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #49,183 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for ameliorate, with forms such as "aemliorate", "ameilorate", and "amelioarte". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: Alteration of meliorate after French améliorer. The correct English form is ameliorate, spelled A-M-E-L-I-O-R-A-T-E.
Definition
- 1To make better, or improve, something perceived to be in a negative condition.
- 2To become better; improve.
Etymology
Alteration of meliorate after French améliorer.
Antonyms
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: aemliorate,ameilorate,amelioarte,amelioraet,amelioratte,ameliorrate,ameliortae,ameliroate,amelliorate,ameloirate,amleiorate,ammeliorate,maeliorate
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of ameliorate - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.
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 "ameliorate"?
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Using “ameliorate”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is A-M-E-L-I-O-R-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /əˈmiːli.əɹeɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- 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.