destabilise

/diːˈsteɪbɪlaɪz/

//diːˈsteɪbɪlaɪz// verb

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

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

The verdict

“destabilise” is uncommon English (frequency #73,118 among 26,416 “D” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#73,118
frequency rank, English
26,416
“D” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To make something unstable.

Key facts for destabilise
PropertyValue
Headworddestabilise
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/diːˈsteɪbɪlaɪz/
Letters11
Frequency rank#73,118
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “destabilise” 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). destabilise 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

destabilise is uncommon English at frequency #73,118 among 26,416 “D” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /diːˈsteɪbɪlaɪz/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for destabilise, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From de- + stabilise. The correct English form is destabilise, spelled D-E-S-T-A-B-I-L-I-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To make something unstable.
  2. 2
    To undermine a government, especially by means of subversion or terrorism.
  3. 3
    To become unstable.

Etymology

From de- + stabilise.

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 "destabilise"?
"destabilise" is spelled D-E-S-T-A-B-I-L-I-S-E. The IPA pronunciation is /diːˈsteɪbɪlaɪz/.
What does "destabilise" mean?
As a verb, "destabilise" means: To make something unstable.
How do you pronounce "destabilise"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "destabilise" is /diːˈsteɪbɪlaɪz/. 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 "destabilise"?
From de- + stabilise. 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 “destabilise”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is D-E-S-T-A-B-I-L-I-S-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /diːˈsteɪbɪlaɪz/ (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