bitterness

/ˈbɪtənəs/

//ˈbɪtənəs// noun

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

"bitterness" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“bitterness” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #15,967. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#15,967
frequency rank, English
4,121
“B” headwords
12
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The quality of having a bitter taste.

Corpus desk

Index EN-bitterness · bitterness · English

bitterness · rank #15,967 · 12 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #15,967
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-MID 12 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,121
  • PHOTO-FINISH biscuit

Nearest frequency peer: biscuit (-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 “bitterness”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “bitterness” 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
Key facts for bitterness
PropertyValue
Headwordbitterness
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈbɪtənəs/
Letters10
Frequency rank#15,967
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “bitterness”

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).bitternesslands 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 “biscuit” (#15,966), “blatant” (#15,968), “boon” (#15,969). Among 4,121 “B” headwords, “bitterness” is #15,967. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 12 spelling variants around bitterness (IPA /ˈbɪtənəs/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #15,967 among 4,121 “B” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for bitterness, with forms such as "bbitterness", "biterness", and "bitetrness". 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. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English bitternesse, biternesse, from Old English biternes (“bitterness; grief”), equivalent to bitter + -ness. The correct English form is bitterness, spelled B-I-T-T-E-R-N-E-S-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    The quality of having a bitter taste.
  2. 2
    The quality of feeling bitter; acrimony, resentment; the quality of exhibiting such feelings.
  3. 3
    The quality of eliciting a bitter, humiliating or harsh feeling.
  4. 4
    Harsh cold.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. the bitterness of his words
  2. She kept her bitterness about her mistreatment for the rest of her life.

Etymology

From Middle English bitternesse, biternesse, from Old English biternes (“bitterness; grief”), equivalent to bitter + -ness.

Synonyms

acerbicnessacridityacridnessacrimonygallrancorresentmentbileacerbityalkalinityastringencybitternesswormwood

Antonyms

sweetness

This word in other languages

amargo(Español)amertume(Français)Bitterkeit(Deutsch)amargura(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • bbitterness
  • biterness
  • bitetrness
  • bittenress
  • bitterenss
  • bitternes
  • bitternness
  • bitternses
  • bitterrness
  • bittreness
  • btiterness
  • ibtterness

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

bbitterness1biterness1bitetrness2bittenress2bitterenss2bitternes1bitternness1bitternses2
Edit distance from "bitterness"

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 "bitterness"?
"bitterness" is spelled B-I-T-T-E-R-N-E-S-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈbɪtənəs/.
What does "bitterness" mean?
As a noun, "bitterness" means: The quality of having a bitter taste.
What are common misspellings of "bitterness"?
Common misspellings include "bbitterness", "biterness", "bitetrness", "bittenress", "bitterenss". The correct spelling is "bitterness".
How do you pronounce "bitterness"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "bitterness" is /ˈbɪtənəs/. 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 "bitterness"?
From Middle English bitternesse, biternesse, from Old English biternes (“bitterness; grief”), equivalent to bitter + -ness. 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 "bitterness", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

astounding#15,954Cinderella#15,984alcoholism#15,948coronation#15,993

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (12 here; floor ≥5).

cervical12 variantsCheshire12 variantswrongly12 variantswandered12 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list