condescending

/ˈkɔn.dɪ.sɛnd.ɪŋ/

//ˈkɔn.dɪ.sɛnd.ɪŋ// adj

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

"condescending" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“condescending” has 21 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #25,327. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#25,327
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
21
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Assuming a tone of superiority, or a patronizing attitude.

Corpus desk

Index EN-condescending · condescending · English

condescending · rank #25,327 · 21 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #25,327
  • LEN-MEGA 13 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 21 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH concealing

Nearest frequency peer: concealing (-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 “condescending”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “condescending” 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
Key facts for condescending
PropertyValue
Headwordcondescending
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈkɔn.dɪ.sɛnd.ɪŋ/
Letters13
Frequency rank#25,327
Misspellings tracked21
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “condescending”

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).condescendinglands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “concealing” (#25,326), “condominium” (#25,328), “compulsion” (#25,325). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “condescending” is #25,327. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 21 spelling variants around condescending (IPA /ˈkɔn.dɪ.sɛnd.ɪŋ/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #25,327 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Dominant gloss: "Assuming a tone of superiority, or a patronizing attitude.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 21 likely wrong-spelling variants for condescending, with forms such as "ccondescending", "cnodescending", and "codnescending". 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. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

This headword's origin isn't recorded in our source data, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct English form is condescending, spelled C-O-N-D-E-S-C-E-N-D-I-N-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    Assuming a tone of superiority, or a patronizing attitude.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Quit talking to me in that condescending tone! You always treat me like a child!
  2. The housekeeper, a very decorative brunette of thirty-five with a pseudo-English accent, greeted him with a mixture of grateful effusion and condescending patronage.

Synonyms

patronizing

This word in other languages

condescendiente(Español)condescendant(Français)herablassend(Deutsch)condescendente(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ccondescending
  • cnodescending
  • codnescending
  • conddescending
  • condecsending
  • condesccending
  • condescedning
  • condescendding
  • condescendign
  • condescendingg
  • condescendinng
  • condescendnig
  • condescenidng
  • condescennding
  • condescneding
  • condesecnding
  • condesscending
  • condsecending
  • conedscending
  • conndescending
  • ocndescending

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ccondescending1cnodescending2codnescending2conddescending1condecsending2condesccending1condescedning2condescendding1
Edit distance from "condescending"

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 "condescending"?
"condescending" is spelled C-O-N-D-E-S-C-E-N-D-I-N-G. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɔn.dɪ.sɛnd.ɪŋ/.
What does "condescending" mean?
As an adjective, "condescending" means: Assuming a tone of superiority, or a patronizing attitude.
What are common misspellings of "condescending"?
Common misspellings include "ccondescending", "cnodescending", "codnescending", "conddescending", "condecsending". The correct spelling is "condescending".
How do you pronounce "condescending"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "condescending" is /ˈkɔn.dɪ.sɛnd.ɪŋ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "condescending" come from?
"condescending" is a English word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
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 "condescending", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 13 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

craftsmanship#25,337unwillingness#25,248improvisation#25,422refurbishment#25,184

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (21 here; floor ≥5).

hydroelectric21 variantsconversational21 variantsindustrialized21 variantscapitalization21 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list