continue

/kənˈtɪn.juː/

//kənˈtɪn.juː// verb

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

"continue" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“continue” is in the everyday core of English, ranked #865 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#865
frequency rank, English
8
letters
11
tracked misspellings
6
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To proceed with (doing an activity); to prolong (an activity).

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

continue vs convince
75% similar
continue vs continued
89% similar
continue vs continues
89% similar

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

Key facts for continue
PropertyValue
Headwordcontinue
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/kənˈtɪn.juː/
Letters8
Frequency rank#865
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs6
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “continue” 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). continue 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 continue is 8 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kənˈtɪn.juː/. Corpus data places it at rank #865 in overall English word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 7 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 continue, with forms such as "ccontinue", "cnotinue", and "conitnue". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 6 confusable-pair relationships, "convince", "continued", "continues", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English continuen, from Old French continuer, from Latin continuāre. Displaced native Middle English thurghwonen, from Old English þurhwunian. The correct English form is continue, spelled C-O-N-T-I-N-U-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To proceed with (doing an activity); to prolong (an activity).
  2. 2
    To make last; to prolong.
  3. 3
    To retain (someone or something) in a given state, position, etc.
  4. 4
    To remain in a given place or condition; to remain in connection with; to abide; to stay.
  5. 5
    To resume.
  6. 6
    To adjourn, prorogue, put off.
  7. 7
    To make a continuation bet.

Etymology

From Middle English continuen, from Old French continuer, from Latin continuāre. Displaced native Middle English thurghwonen, from Old English þurhwunian.

Synonyms

carry oncrack ongo on withkeepkeep onkeep upproceed withsustainretaincarry ongo onproceedresume

Antonyms

terminatestopdiscontinue

This word in other languages

continuar(Español)continuer(Français)fortsetzen(Deutsch)continuar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ccontinue,cnotinue,conitnue,conntinue,contineu,continnue,contiune,contniue,conttinue,cotninue,ocntinue

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ccontinue1cnotinue2conitnue2conntinue1contineu2continnue1contiune2contniue2
Edit distance from "continue"

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 "continue"?
"continue" is spelled C-O-N-T-I-N-U-E. The IPA pronunciation is /kənˈtɪn.juː/.
What does "continue" mean?
As a verb, "continue" means: To proceed with (doing an activity); to prolong (an activity).
What words are commonly confused with "continue"?
"continue" is commonly confused with "convince", "continued", "continues". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "continue"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "continue" is /kənˈtɪn.juː/. 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 "continue"?
From Middle English continuen, from Old French continuer, from Latin continuāre. Displaced native Middle English thurghwonen, from Old English þurhwunian. 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 “continue”

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

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