deselect

/ˌdiːsəˈlɛkt/

//ˌdiːsəˈlɛkt// verb

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

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

The verdict

“deselect” is uncommon English (frequency #87,203 among 26,416 “D” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#87,203
frequency rank, English
26,416
“D” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To not select; to rule out of selection.

Key facts for deselect
PropertyValue
Headworddeselect
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˌdiːsəˈlɛkt/
Letters8
Frequency rank#87,203
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “deselect” 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). deselect lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

deselect is uncommon English at frequency #87,203 among 26,416 “D” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ˌdiːsəˈlɛkt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for deselect, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From de- + select. The correct English form is deselect, spelled D-E-S-E-L-E-C-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    To not select; to rule out of selection.
  2. 2
    To reject (an incumbent) as a party's candidate for a forthcoming election.
  3. 3
    To remove from an existing selection.

Etymology

From de- + select.

Synonyms

unselect

Antonyms

selectreselect

This word in other languages

deseleccionar(Español)désélectionner(Français)abwählen(Deutsch)

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 "deselect"?
"deselect" is spelled D-E-S-E-L-E-C-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌdiːsəˈlɛkt/.
What does "deselect" mean?
As a verb, "deselect" means: To not select; to rule out of selection.
How do you pronounce "deselect"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "deselect" is /ˌdiːsəˈlɛkt/. 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 "deselect"?
From de- + select. 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 “deselect”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is D-E-S-E-L-E-C-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌdiːsəˈlɛkt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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