disclose

/dɪsˈkləʊz/

//dɪsˈkləʊz// verb

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

The verdict

“disclose” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #9,034 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#9,034
frequency rank, English
8
letters
12
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To open up; unfasten.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

disclose vs dispose
75% similar
disclose vs disclosed
89% similar
disclose vs disclosure
80% similar

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

Key facts for disclose
PropertyValue
Headworddisclose
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/dɪsˈkləʊz/
Letters8
Frequency rank#9,034
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “disclose” 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). disclose 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 disclose is 8 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /dɪsˈkləʊz/. Corpus data places it at rank #9,034 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 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for disclose, with forms such as "ddisclose", "dicslose", and "discclose". 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 3 confusable-pair relationships, "dispose", "disclosed", "disclosure", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English disclosen, from Middle French desclos, from Old French desclore, itself from Vulgar Latin disclaudere, from Latin dis- + claudere (“to close, shut”) or as a variant of discludo, discludere (cf. disclude). By surface analysis, dis- + close. The correct English form is disclose, spelled D-I-S-C-L-O-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To open up; unfasten.
  2. 2
    To uncover; physically expose to view.
  3. 3
    To expose to the knowledge of others; to make known; state openly; reveal (something).

Etymology

From Middle English disclosen, from Middle French desclos, from Old French desclore, itself from Vulgar Latin disclaudere, from Latin dis- + claudere (“to close, shut”) or as a variant of discludo, discludere (cf. disclude). By surface analysis, dis- + close.

Synonyms

Antonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddisclose,dicslose,discclose,discllose,discloes,disclosse,disclsoe,discolse,dislcose,dissclose,dsiclose,idsclose

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of disclose - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ddisclose1dicslose2discclose1discllose1discloes2disclosse1disclsoe2discolse2
Edit distance from "disclose"

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 "disclose"?
"disclose" is spelled D-I-S-C-L-O-S-E. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪsˈkləʊz/.
What does "disclose" mean?
As a verb, "disclose" means: To open up; unfasten.
What words are commonly confused with "disclose"?
"disclose" is commonly confused with "dispose", "disclosed", "disclosure". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "disclose"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "disclose" is /dɪsˈkləʊz/. 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 "disclose"?
From Middle English disclosen, from Middle French desclos, from Old French desclore, itself from Vulgar Latin disclaudere, from Latin dis- + claudere (“to close, shut”) or as a variant of discludo, discludere (cf. disclude). By surface analysis, d... 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 “disclose”

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

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