budge

/bʌd͡ʒ/

//bʌd͡ʒ// verb

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

"budge" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“budge” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #21,462 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#21,462
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To move; to be shifted from a fixed position.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

budge vs bug
60% similar
budge vs bugs
60% similar
budge vs buds
60% similar

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

Key facts for budge
PropertyValue
Headwordbudge
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/bʌd͡ʒ/
Letters5
Frequency rank#21,462
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “budge” 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). budge 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 budge is 5 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /bʌd͡ʒ/. Corpus data places it at rank #21,462 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for budge, with forms such as "bbudge", "bduge", and "buddge". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "bug", "bugs", "buds", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Middle French bouger, from Old French bougier, from Vulgar Latin *bullicāre (“to bubble; seethe; move; stir”), from Latin bullīre (“to boil; seethe; roil”). More at boil. The correct English form is budge, spelled B-U-D-G-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To move; to be shifted from a fixed position.
  2. 2
    To move; to shift from a fixed position.
  3. 3
    To yield in one’s opinions or beliefs.
  4. 4
    To cut or butt (in line); to join the front or middle rather than the back of a queue.
  5. 5
    To try to improve the spot of a decision on a sports field.

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French bouger, from Old French bougier, from Vulgar Latin *bullicāre (“to bubble; seethe; move; stir”), from Latin bullīre (“to boil; seethe; roil”). More at boil.

Synonyms

shift

This word in other languages

mover(Español)bouger(Français)regen(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: bbudge,bduge,buddge,budeg,budgge,bugde,ubdge

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

bbudge1bduge2buddge1budeg2budgge1bugde2ubdge2
Edit distance from "budge"

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 "budge"?
"budge" is spelled B-U-D-G-E. The IPA pronunciation is /bʌd͡ʒ/.
What does "budge" mean?
As a verb, "budge" means: To move; to be shifted from a fixed position.
What words are commonly confused with "budge"?
"budge" is commonly confused with "bug", "bugs", "buds". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "budge"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "budge" is /bʌd͡ʒ/. 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 "budge"?
Borrowed from Middle French bouger, from Old French bougier, from Vulgar Latin *bullicāre (“to bubble; seethe; move; stir”), from Latin bullīre (“to boil; seethe; roil”). More at boil. 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 “budge”

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

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