consistent

/kənˈsɪstənt/

//kənˈsɪstənt// adj

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

The verdict

“consistent” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,100 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#3,100
frequency rank, English
10
letters
16
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Of a regularly occurring, dependable nature.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

consistent vs consisting
80% similar
consistent vs consistently
83% similar
consistent vs consisted
80% similar

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

Key facts for consistent
PropertyValue
Headwordconsistent
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/kənˈsɪstənt/
Letters10
Frequency rank#3,100
Misspellings tracked16
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “consistent” 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). consistent 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 consistent is 10 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kənˈsɪstənt/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,100 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 16 likely wrong-spelling variants for consistent, with forms such as "cconsistent", "cnosistent", and "conisstent". 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 4 confusable-pair relationships, "consisting", "consistently", "consisted", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin cōnsistēntem, present participle of cōnsistō (“to agree with; to continue”), from con- (prefix indicating a being or bringing together of several objects) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm (“beside, by, near, with”)) + sistō (“to… The correct English form is consistent, spelled C-O-N-S-I-S-T-E-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Of a regularly occurring, dependable nature.
  2. 2
    Compatible, accordant.
  3. 3
    Of a set of statements: such that no contradiction logically follows from them.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin cōnsistēntem, present participle of cōnsistō (“to agree with; to continue”), from con- (prefix indicating a being or bringing together of several objects) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm (“beside, by, near, with”)) + sistō (“to cause to stand; to place, set”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *stísteh₂ti (“to be standing up; to be getting up”), from the root *steh₂- (“to stand (up)”)).

Antonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: cconsistent,cnosistent,conisstent,connsistent,consisetnt,consisstent,consistennt,consistentt,consistetn,consistnet,consisttent,consitsent,conssistent,conssitent,cosnistent,ocnsistent

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

cconsistent1cnosistent2conisstent2connsistent1consisetnt2consisstent1consistennt1consistentt1
Edit distance from "consistent"

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 "consistent"?
"consistent" is spelled C-O-N-S-I-S-T-E-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /kənˈsɪstənt/.
What does "consistent" mean?
As an adjective, "consistent" means: Of a regularly occurring, dependable nature.
What words are commonly confused with "consistent"?
"consistent" is commonly confused with "consisting", "consistently", "consisted". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "consistent"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "consistent" is /kənˈsɪstənt/. 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 "consistent"?
Borrowed from Latin cōnsistēntem, present participle of cōnsistō (“to agree with; to continue”), from con- (prefix indicating a being or bringing together of several objects) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm (“beside, by, near, with”)) + ... 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 “consistent”

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

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