condemn

/kənˈdɛm/

//kənˈdɛm// verb

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

"condemn" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“condemn” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #10,831 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#10,831
frequency rank, English
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
5
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To strongly criticise or denounce; to excoriate.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

condemn vs condom
71% similar
condemn vs Condon
57% similar
condemn vs condemned
78% similar

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

Key facts for condemn
PropertyValue
Headwordcondemn
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/kənˈdɛm/
Letters7
Frequency rank#10,831
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs5
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “condemn” 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). condemn 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 condemn is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kənˈdɛm/. Corpus data places it at rank #10,831 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 12 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for condemn, with forms such as "ccondemn", "cnodemn", and "codnemn". 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 5 confusable-pair relationships, "condom", "Condon", "condemned", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English condempnen, from Old French condamner, from Latin condemnāre (“to sentence, condemn, blame”), from com- + damnāre (“to harm, condemn, damn”), from damnum (“damage, injury, loss”). Displaced native Middle English fordemen (from Old Englis… The correct English form is condemn, spelled C-O-N-D-E-M-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    To strongly criticise or denounce; to excoriate.
  2. 2
    To judicially pronounce (someone) guilty.
  3. 3
    To judicially announce a verdict upon a finding of guilt; To sentence
  4. 4
    To confer eternal divine punishment upon.
  5. 5
    To destine to experience bad circumstances; to doom.
  6. 6
    To declare something to be unfit for use, or further use.
  7. 7
    To declare something to be unfit for use, or further use.
  8. 8
    To declare something to be unfit for use, or further use.
  9. 9
    To declare something to be unfit for use, or further use.
  10. 10
    To declare something to be unfit for use, or further use.
  11. 11
    To determine and declare (property) to be assigned to public use. See eminent domain.
  12. 12
    To declare (a vessel) to be forfeited to the government or to be a prize.

Etymology

From Middle English condempnen, from Old French condamner, from Latin condemnāre (“to sentence, condemn, blame”), from com- + damnāre (“to harm, condemn, damn”), from damnum (“damage, injury, loss”). Displaced native Middle English fordemen (from Old English fordeman (“condemn, sentence, doom”) > Modern English fordeem.

This word in other languages

condenar(Español)condamner(Français)verurteilen(Deutsch)condenar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ccondemn,cnodemn,codnemn,conddemn,condemmn,condemnn,condenm,condmen,conedmn,conndemn,ocndemn

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ccondemn1cnodemn2codnemn2conddemn1condemmn1condemnn1condenm2condmen2
Edit distance from "condemn"

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 "condemn"?
"condemn" is spelled C-O-N-D-E-M-N. The IPA pronunciation is /kənˈdɛm/.
What does "condemn" mean?
As a verb, "condemn" means: To strongly criticise or denounce; to excoriate.
What words are commonly confused with "condemn"?
"condemn" is commonly confused with "condom", "Condon", "condemned". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "condemn"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "condemn" is /kənˈdɛm/. 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 "condemn"?
From Middle English condempnen, from Old French condamner, from Latin condemnāre (“to sentence, condemn, blame”), from com- + damnāre (“to harm, condemn, damn”), from damnum (“damage, injury, loss”). Displaced native Middle English fordemen (from ... 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 “condemn”

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

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