demonstrate

/ˈdɛm.ənˌstɹeɪt/

//ˈdɛm.ənˌstɹeɪt// verb

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

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

The verdict

“demonstrate” has 17 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #5,117. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#5,117
frequency rank, English
3,470
“D” headwords
17
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To show how to use (something).

Corpus desk

Index EN-demonstrate · demonstrate · English

demonstrate · rank #5,117 · 17 variants · 4 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #5,117
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 4 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 17 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH delayed

Nearest frequency peer: delayed (-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 “demonstrate”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “demonstrate” 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

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

demonstrate vs demonstrated
92% similar
demonstrate vs demonstrator
83% similar
demonstrate vs demonstrative
85% similar

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

Key facts for demonstrate
PropertyValue
Headworddemonstrate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈdɛm.ənˌstɹeɪt/
Letters11
Frequency rank#5,117
Misspellings tracked17
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “demonstrate”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).demonstratelands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “delayed” (#5,116), “dealt” (#5,115), “depend” (#5,119). Among 3,470 “D” headwords, “demonstrate” is #5,117. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 17 spelling variants around demonstrate (IPA /ˈdɛm.ənˌstɹeɪt/), averb. Corpus frequency is #5,117 among 3,470 “D” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for demonstrate, with forms such as "ddemonstrate", "demmonstrate", and "demnostrate". 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 4 confusable-pair relationships, "demonstrated", "demonstrator", "demonstrative", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin dēmonstrātus, the perfect passive participle of dēmonstrō (“to show, point at”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Cognate with French démontrer. The correct English form is demonstrate, spelled D-E-M-O-N-S-T-R-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To show how to use (something).
  2. 2
    To show the steps taken to create a logical argument or equation.
  3. 3
    To participate in or organize a demonstration.
  4. 4
    To show, display, or present; to prove or make evident

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Can you demonstrate the new tools for us?
  2. In this tape, a velvet-voiced narrator provides a stroke-by-stroke guide to massaging your partner. As she speaks, comely nude couples demonstrate.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin dēmonstrātus, the perfect passive participle of dēmonstrō (“to show, point at”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Cognate with French démontrer.

This word in other languages

demostrar(Español)démontrer(Français)demonstrieren(Deutsch)demonstrar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ddemonstrate
  • demmonstrate
  • demnostrate
  • demonnstrate
  • demonsrtate
  • demonsstrate
  • demonstarte
  • demonstraet
  • demonstratte
  • demonstrrate
  • demonstrtae
  • demonsttrate
  • demontsrate
  • demosntrate
  • deomnstrate
  • dmeonstrate
  • edmonstrate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ddemonstrate1demmonstrate1demnostrate2demonnstrate1demonsrtate2demonsstrate1demonstarte2demonstraet2
Edit distance from "demonstrate"

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 "demonstrate"?
"demonstrate" is spelled D-E-M-O-N-S-T-R-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈdɛm.ənˌstɹeɪt/.
What does "demonstrate" mean?
As a verb, "demonstrate" means: To show how to use (something).
What words are commonly confused with "demonstrate"?
"demonstrate" is commonly confused with "demonstrated", "demonstrator", "demonstrative". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "demonstrate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "demonstrate" is /ˈdɛm.ənˌstɹeɪt/. 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 "demonstrate"?
Borrowed from Latin dēmonstrātus, the perfect passive participle of dēmonstrō (“to show, point at”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Cognate with French démontrer. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "demonstrate", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 11 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

communicate#5,112experiments#5,126transaction#5,092operational#5,069

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (17 here; floor ≥5).

negotiations17 variantselectronics17 variantsexploration17 variantssustainable17 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list