concentrate

/ˈkɒn.sən.tɹeɪt/

//ˈkɒn.sən.tɹeɪt// verb

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

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

The verdict

“concentrate” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #6,345 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#6,345
frequency rank, English
11
letters
17
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To bring to, or direct toward, a common center; to unite more closely; to gather into one body, mass, or force.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

concentrate vs concentrated
92% similar

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

Key facts for concentrate
PropertyValue
Headwordconcentrate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈkɒn.sən.tɹeɪt/
Letters11
Frequency rank#6,345
Misspellings tracked17
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “concentrate” 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). concentrate 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 concentrate is 11 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkɒn.sən.tɹeɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #6,345 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for concentrate, with forms such as "cconcentrate", "cnocentrate", and "cocnentrate". 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, "concentrated", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: (early 17th century) From a Romance language, see French concentrer, Italian concentràre, Spanish concentrar; alternatively from Medieval Latin/New Latin concentrō + -ate (verb-forming suffix). Compare also earlier concentre and German konzentrieren. By sur… The correct English form is concentrate, spelled C-O-N-C-E-N-T-R-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To bring to, or direct toward, a common center; to unite more closely; to gather into one body, mass, or force.
  2. 2
    To increase the strength and diminish the bulk of, as of a liquid or an ore; to intensify, by getting rid of useless material; to condense.
  3. 3
    To approach or meet in a common center; to consolidate.
  4. 4
    To focus one's thought or attention (on).

Etymology

(early 17th century) From a Romance language, see French concentrer, Italian concentràre, Spanish concentrar; alternatively from Medieval Latin/New Latin concentrō + -ate (verb-forming suffix). Compare also earlier concentre and German konzentrieren. By surface analysis, con- + center (centr- in compounds) + -ate (verb-forming suffix).

This word in other languages

concentrar(Español)concentrer(Français)konzentrieren(Deutsch)concentrar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: cconcentrate,cnocentrate,cocnentrate,conccentrate,concenntrate,concenrtate,concentarte,concentraet,concentratte,concentrrate,concentrtae,concenttrate,concetnrate,concnetrate,conecntrate,conncentrate,ocncentrate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

cconcentrate1cnocentrate2cocnentrate2conccentrate1concenntrate1concenrtate2concentarte2concentraet2
Edit distance from "concentrate"

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 "concentrate"?
"concentrate" is spelled C-O-N-C-E-N-T-R-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɒn.sən.tɹeɪt/.
What does "concentrate" mean?
As a verb, "concentrate" means: To bring to, or direct toward, a common center; to unite more closely; to gather into one body, mass, or force.
What words are commonly confused with "concentrate"?
"concentrate" is commonly confused with "concentrated". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "concentrate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "concentrate" is /ˈkɒn.sən.tɹeɪt/. 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 "concentrate"?
(early 17th century) From a Romance language, see French concentrer, Italian concentràre, Spanish concentrar; alternatively from Medieval Latin/New Latin concentrō + -ate (verb-forming suffix). Compare also earlier concentre and German konzentrier... 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 “concentrate”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-O-N-C-E-N-T-R-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkɒn.sən.tɹeɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “concentrated” - see the side-by-side comparison. concentrate vs concentrated
  • 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