arguably

/ˈɑːɡjuəbli/

//ˈɑːɡjuəbli// adv

"arguably" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“arguably” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #8,236 in English word frequency and used as an adverb.

#8,236
frequency rank, English
8
letters
12
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - As can be supported or proven by sound logical deduction, evidence, and precedent, but without absolute certainty.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

arguably vs arguable
88% similar

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

Key facts for arguably
PropertyValue
Headwordarguably
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/ˈɑːɡjuəbli/
Letters8
Frequency rank#8,236
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “arguably” 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). arguably 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 arguably is 8 letters long, classified as an adverb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɑːɡjuəbli/. Corpus data places it at rank #8,236 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "As can be supported or proven by sound logical deduction, evidence, and precedent, but without absolute certainty.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for arguably, with forms such as "agruably", "argaubly", and "argguably". 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 1 confusable-pair relationship, "arguable", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From arguable + -ly. The correct English form is arguably, spelled A-R-G-U-A-B-L-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    As can be supported or proven by sound logical deduction, evidence, and precedent, but without absolute certainty.

Etymology

From arguable + -ly.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: agruably,argaubly,argguably,arguabbly,arguablly,arguablyy,arguabyl,argualby,argubaly,arrguably,arugably,raguably

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

agruably2argaubly2argguably1arguabbly1arguablly1arguablyy1arguabyl2argualby2
Edit distance from "arguably"

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 "arguably"?
"arguably" is spelled A-R-G-U-A-B-L-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɑːɡjuəbli/.
What does "arguably" mean?
As an adverb, "arguably" means: As can be supported or proven by sound logical deduction, evidence, and precedent, but without absolute certainty.
What words are commonly confused with "arguably"?
"arguably" is commonly confused with "arguable". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "arguably"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "arguably" is /ˈɑːɡjuəbli/. 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 "arguably"?
From arguable + -ly. 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 “arguably”

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

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