dissolve

/dɪˈzɒlv/

//dɪˈzɒlv// verb

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

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

The verdict

“dissolve” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #15,148 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#15,148
frequency rank, English
8
letters
10
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To terminate a union of multiple members actively, as by disbanding.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

dissolve vs dissolved
89% similar

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

Key facts for dissolve
PropertyValue
Headworddissolve
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/dɪˈzɒlv/
Letters8
Frequency rank#15,148
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “dissolve” 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). dissolve 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 dissolve is 8 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /dɪˈzɒlv/. Corpus data places it at rank #15,148 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 14 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for dissolve, with forms such as "ddissolve", "disolve", and "disoslve". 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, "dissolved", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Recorded since c. 1374 (displacing Old English toliesan) as Middle English dissolven, from Latin dissolvere (“to loosen up, break apart”) but with the sense from Anglo-Norman dissoldre (variant of Old French dissoudre), itself from dis- (“apart”) + solvere … The correct English form is dissolve, spelled D-I-S-S-O-L-V-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To terminate a union of multiple members actively, as by disbanding.
  2. 2
    To destroy, make disappear.
  3. 3
    To liquify, melt into a fluid.
  4. 4
    To be melted, changed into a fluid.
  5. 5
    To disintegrate chemically into a solution by immersion into a liquid or other material.
  6. 6
    To be disintegrated by such immersion.
  7. 7
    To disperse, drive apart a group of persons.
  8. 8
    To break the continuity of; to disconnect; to loosen; to undo; to separate.
  9. 9
    To annul; to rescind; to discharge or release.
  10. 10
    To shift from one shot to another by having the former fade out as the latter fades in.
  11. 11
    To resolve itself as by dissolution.
  12. 12
    To solve; to clear up; to resolve.
  13. 13
    To relax by pleasure; to make powerless.
  14. 14
    To separate a ligature into its component letters.

Etymology

Recorded since c. 1374 (displacing Old English toliesan) as Middle English dissolven, from Latin dissolvere (“to loosen up, break apart”) but with the sense from Anglo-Norman dissoldre (variant of Old French dissoudre), itself from dis- (“apart”) + solvere (“to loose, loosen”). By surface analysis, dis- + solve.

This word in other languages

disolver(Español)dissoudre(Français)auflösen(Deutsch)dissolver(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddissolve,disolve,disoslve,disslove,dissolev,dissollve,dissolvve,dissovle,dsisolve,idssolve

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of dissolve - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ddissolve1disolve1disoslve2disslove2dissolev2dissollve1dissolvve1dissovle2
Edit distance from "dissolve"

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 "dissolve"?
"dissolve" is spelled D-I-S-S-O-L-V-E. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪˈzɒlv/.
What does "dissolve" mean?
As a verb, "dissolve" means: To terminate a union of multiple members actively, as by disbanding.
What words are commonly confused with "dissolve"?
"dissolve" is commonly confused with "dissolved". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "dissolve"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "dissolve" is /dɪˈzɒlv/. 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 "dissolve"?
Recorded since c. 1374 (displacing Old English toliesan) as Middle English dissolven, from Latin dissolvere (“to loosen up, break apart”) but with the sense from Anglo-Norman dissoldre (variant of Old French dissoudre), itself from dis- (“apart”) ... 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 “dissolve”

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

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