destination

/dɛstɪˈneɪʃən/

//dɛstɪˈneɪʃən// noun

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

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

The verdict

“destination” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #4,751 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#4,751
frequency rank, English
11
letters
17
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The place set for the end of a journey, or to which something is sent; place or point aimed at.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

destination vs detonation
82% similar
destination vs distinction
82% similar
destination vs designation
82% similar

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

Key facts for destination
PropertyValue
Headworddestination
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/dɛstɪˈneɪʃən/
Letters11
Frequency rank#4,751
Misspellings tracked17
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “destination” 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). destination 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 destination is 11 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /dɛstɪˈneɪʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #4,751 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 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for destination, with forms such as "ddestination", "desitnation", and "desstination". 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, "detonation", "distinction", "designation", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin dēstinātiō, from dēstinō (“to destine”). The correct English form is destination, spelled D-E-S-T-I-N-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The place set for the end of a journey, or to which something is sent; place or point aimed at.
  2. 2
    The act of destining or appointing.
  3. 3
    Purpose for which anything is destined; predetermined end, object, or use; ultimate design.

Etymology

From Latin dēstinātiō, from dēstinō (“to destine”).

This word in other languages

destino(Español)destination(Français)Bestimmung(Deutsch)destino(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddestination,desitnation,desstination,destiantion,destinaiton,destinasion,destinatino,destinationn,destinatoin,destinattion,destinnation,destintaion,destniation,desttination,detsination,dsetination,edstination

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ddestination1desitnation2desstination1destiantion2destinaiton2destinasion1destinatino2destinationn1
Edit distance from "destination"

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 "destination"?
"destination" is spelled D-E-S-T-I-N-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /dɛstɪˈneɪʃən/.
What does "destination" mean?
As a noun, "destination" means: The place set for the end of a journey, or to which something is sent; place or point aimed at.
What words are commonly confused with "destination"?
"destination" is commonly confused with "detonation", "distinction", "designation". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "destination"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "destination" is /dɛstɪˈneɪʃən/. 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 "destination"?
From Latin dēstinātiō, from dēstinō (“to destine”). 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 “destination”

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

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