complacency

/kəmˈpleɪsənˌsiː/

//kəmˈpleɪsənˌsiː// noun

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

"complacency" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“complacency” has 18 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #27,093. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#27,093
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
18
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A feeling of contented self-satisfaction, especially when unaware of upcoming trouble.

Corpus desk

Index EN-complacency · complacency · English

complacency · rank #27,093 · 18 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #27,093
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 18 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH compendium

Nearest frequency peer: compendium (-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 “complacency”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “complacency” 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).

complacency vs complacent
82% similar

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

Key facts for complacency
PropertyValue
Headwordcomplacency
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/kəmˈpleɪsənˌsiː/
Letters11
Frequency rank#27,093
Misspellings tracked18
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “complacency”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).complacencylands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “compendium” (#27,092), “confessional” (#27,095), “conservancy” (#27,096). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “complacency” is #27,093. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 18 spelling variants around complacency (IPA /kəmˈpleɪsənˌsiː/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #27,093 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 18 likely wrong-spelling variants for complacency, with forms such as "ccomplacency", "cmoplacency", and "comlpacency". 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, "complacent", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Late Middle English complacence, from Late Latin complacentia. Compare French complaisance. The correct English form is complacency, spelled C-O-M-P-L-A-C-E-N-C-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    A feeling of contented self-satisfaction, especially when unaware of upcoming trouble.
  2. 2
    An instance of self-satisfaction.
  3. 3
    Passivity as a result of contentment with the current situation.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Others proclaim the infirmities of a great man with satisfaction and complacency, if they discover none of the like in themselves.
  2. […] looking at Mr. George Osborne's pale interesting countenance, and those beautiful black, curling, shining whiskers, which the young gentleman himself regarded with no ordinary complacency, she thought in her little heart that in His Majesty's army, or in the wide world, there never was such a face or such a hero.

Etymology

Late Middle English complacence, from Late Latin complacentia. Compare French complaisance.

This word in other languages

suficiencia(Español)suffisance(Français)Selbstzufriedenheit(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ccomplacency
  • cmoplacency
  • comlpacency
  • commplacency
  • compalcency
  • complaccency
  • complacecny
  • complacenccy
  • complacencyy
  • complacenncy
  • complacenyc
  • complacnecy
  • complaecncy
  • complcaency
  • compllacency
  • compplacency
  • copmlacency
  • ocmplacency

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ccomplacency1cmoplacency2comlpacency2commplacency1compalcency2complaccency1complacecny2complacenccy1
Edit distance from "complacency"

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 "complacency"?
"complacency" is spelled C-O-M-P-L-A-C-E-N-C-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /kəmˈpleɪsənˌsiː/.
What does "complacency" mean?
As a noun, "complacency" means: A feeling of contented self-satisfaction, especially when unaware of upcoming trouble.
What words are commonly confused with "complacency"?
"complacency" is commonly confused with "complacent". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "complacency"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "complacency" is /kəmˈpleɪsənˌsiː/. 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 "complacency"?
Late Middle English complacence, from Late Latin complacentia. Compare French complaisance. 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 "complacency", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 11 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

conservancy#27,096contentment#27,097defenseless#27,115Balochistan#27,065

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (18 here; floor ≥5).

augmentation18 variantsextracellular18 variantsrepatriation18 variantsexcruciating18 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list