compromise

/ˈkɒmpɹəˌmaɪz/

//ˈkɒmpɹəˌmaɪz// noun

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

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

The verdict

“compromise” has 15 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #5,587. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#5,587
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
15
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions.

Corpus desk

Index EN-compromise · compromise · English

compromise · rank #5,587 · 15 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #5,587
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 15 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH convenient

Nearest frequency peer: convenient (+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 “compromise”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “compromise” 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).

compromise vs compromised
91% similar
compromise vs comprise
80% similar

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

Key facts for compromise
PropertyValue
Headwordcompromise
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkɒmpɹəˌmaɪz/
Letters10
Frequency rank#5,587
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “compromise”

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).compromiselands 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 “convenient” (#5,588), “Collins” (#5,585), “costa” (#5,589). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “compromise” is #5,587. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 15 spelling variants around compromise (IPA /ˈkɒmpɹəˌmaɪz/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #5,587 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for compromise, with forms such as "ccompromise", "cmopromise", and "commpromise". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "compromised", "comprise", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French compromis, from Medieval Latin, Late Latin compromissum (“a compromise, originally a mutual promise to refer to arbitration”), prop. neuter of Latin compromissus, past participle of compromittere (“to make a mutual promise to abide by the… The correct English form is compromise, spelled C-O-M-P-R-O-M-I-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    The settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions.
  2. 2
    A committal to something derogatory or objectionable; a prejudicial concession; a surrender.
  3. 3
    A breach of a computer or network's rules such that an unauthorized disclosure or loss of sensitive information may have occurred, or the unauthorized disclosure or loss itself.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. But basely yielded upon compromise / That which his noble ancestors achieved with blows.
  2. All government, indeed every human benefit and enjoyment, every virtue and every prudent act, is founded on compromise and barter.

Etymology

From Middle French compromis, from Medieval Latin, Late Latin compromissum (“a compromise, originally a mutual promise to refer to arbitration”), prop. neuter of Latin compromissus, past participle of compromittere (“to make a mutual promise to abide by the decision of an arbiter”), from com- (“together”) + promittere (“to promise”); see promise.

This word in other languages

acuerdo(Español)compromis(Français)Kompromiss(Deutsch)meio-termo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ccompromise
  • cmopromise
  • commpromise
  • compormise
  • comppromise
  • comprmoise
  • comproimse
  • compromies
  • compromisse
  • comprommise
  • compromsie
  • comprromise
  • comrpomise
  • copmromise
  • ocmpromise

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ccompromise1cmopromise2commpromise1compormise2comppromise1comprmoise2comproimse2compromies2
Edit distance from "compromise"

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 "compromise"?
"compromise" is spelled C-O-M-P-R-O-M-I-S-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɒmpɹəˌmaɪz/.
What does "compromise" mean?
As a noun, "compromise" means: The settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions.
What words are commonly confused with "compromise"?
"compromise" is commonly confused with "compromised", "comprise". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "compromise"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "compromise" is /ˈkɒmpɹəˌmaɪz/. 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 "compromise"?
From Middle French compromis, from Medieval Latin, Late Latin compromissum (“a compromise, originally a mutual promise to refer to arbitration”), prop. neuter of Latin compromissus, past participle of compromittere (“to make a mutual promise to ab... 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 "compromise", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

convenient#5,588earthquake#5,592adventures#5,570medication#5,610

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (15 here; floor ≥5).

embarrassing15 variantsvegetables15 variantsinvitation15 variantsmeaningful15 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list