discharge

/dɪsˈtʃɑːdʒ/

//dɪsˈtʃɑːdʒ// verb

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

"discharge" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“discharge” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #7,911 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#7,911
frequency rank, English
9
letters
14
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To accomplish or complete, as an obligation.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

discharge vs discharged
90% similar

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

Key facts for discharge
PropertyValue
Headworddischarge
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/dɪsˈtʃɑːdʒ/
Letters9
Frequency rank#7,911
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “discharge” 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). discharge 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 discharge is 9 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /dɪsˈtʃɑːdʒ/. Corpus data places it at rank #7,911 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 19 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for discharge, with forms such as "ddischarge", "dicsharge", and "discahrge". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "discharged", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English dischargen, from Old French deschargier (“to unload”), from Late Latin discarricāre (“unload”). By surface analysis, dis- + charge. The correct English form is discharge, spelled D-I-S-C-H-A-R-G-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To accomplish or complete, as an obligation.
  2. 2
    To free of a debt, claim, obligation, responsibility, accusation, etc.; to absolve; to acquit; to forgive; to clear.
  3. 3
    To send away (a creditor) satisfied by payment; to pay one's debt or obligation to.
  4. 4
    To set aside; to annul; to dismiss.
  5. 5
    To expel or let go.
  6. 6
    To let fly, as a missile; to shoot.
  7. 7
    To release (an accumulated charge).
  8. 8
    To relieve of an office or employment; to send away from service; to dismiss.
  9. 9
    To relieve of an office or employment; to send away from service; to dismiss.
  10. 10
    To relieve of an office or employment; to send away from service; to dismiss.
  11. 11
    To release legally from confinement; to set at liberty.
  12. 12
    To operate (any weapon that fires a projectile, such as a shotgun or sling).
  13. 13
    To release (an auxiliary assumption) from the list of assumptions used in arguments, and return to the main argument.
  14. 14
    To unload a ship or another means of transport.
  15. 15
    To put forth, or remove, as a charge or burden; to take out, as that with which anything is loaded or filled.
  16. 16
    To give forth; to emit or send out.
  17. 17
    To let fly; to give expression to; to utter.
  18. 18
    To bleach out or to remove or efface, as by a chemical process.
  19. 19
    To prohibit; to forbid.

Etymology

From Middle English dischargen, from Old French deschargier (“to unload”), from Late Latin discarricāre (“unload”). By surface analysis, dis- + charge.

This word in other languages

cumplir(Español)entladen(Deutsch)cumprir(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddischarge,dicsharge,discahrge,disccharge,dischagre,dischareg,dischargge,discharrge,dischharge,dischrage,dishcarge,disscharge,dsicharge,idscharge

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ddischarge1dicsharge2discahrge2disccharge1dischagre2dischareg2dischargge1discharrge1
Edit distance from "discharge"

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 "discharge"?
"discharge" is spelled D-I-S-C-H-A-R-G-E. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪsˈtʃɑːdʒ/.
What does "discharge" mean?
As a verb, "discharge" means: To accomplish or complete, as an obligation.
What words are commonly confused with "discharge"?
"discharge" is commonly confused with "discharged". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "discharge"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "discharge" is /dɪsˈtʃɑːdʒ/. 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 "discharge"?
From Middle English dischargen, from Old French deschargier (“to unload”), from Late Latin discarricāre (“unload”). By surface analysis, dis- + charge. 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 “discharge”

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

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