eavesdropping

/ˈivsˌdɹɒ.piŋ/

//ˈivsˌdɹɒ.piŋ// noun

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

"eavesdropping" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“eavesdropping” has 18 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #34,468. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#34,468
frequency rank, English
2,246
“E” headwords
18
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - verbal noun of eavesdrop:

Corpus desk

Index EN-eavesdropping · eavesdropping · English

eavesdropping · rank #34,468 · 18 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #34,468
  • LEN-MEGA 13 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 18 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,246
  • PHOTO-FINISH Dugan

Nearest frequency peer: Dugan (-2 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “eavesdropping”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “eavesdropping” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for eavesdropping
PropertyValue
Headwordeavesdropping
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈivsˌdɹɒ.piŋ/
Letters13
Frequency rank#34,468
Misspellings tracked18
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “eavesdropping”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).eavesdroppinglands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “Dugan” (#34,466), “Ecuadorian” (#34,470), “disheartening” (#34,465). Among 2,246 “E” headwords, “eavesdropping” is #34,468. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 18 spelling variants around eavesdropping (IPA /ˈivsˌdɹɒ.piŋ/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #34,468 among 2,246 “E” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 18 likely wrong-spelling variants for eavesdropping, with forms such as "aevesdropping", "eaevsdropping", and "eavedsropping". 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. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: From eavesdrop + -ing. The correct English form is eavesdropping, spelled E-A-V-E-S-D-R-O-P-P-I-N-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    verbal noun of eavesdrop:
  2. 2
    verbal noun of eavesdrop:
  3. 3
    verbal noun of eavesdrop:

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how eavesdropping appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The detective kept them in view. He made his way casually along the inside of the shelter until he reached an open scuttle close to where the two men were standing talking. Eavesdropping was not a thing Larard would have practised from choice, but there were times when, in the public interest, he had to do it, and this was one of them.

Etymology

From eavesdrop + -ing.

Synonyms

tabhanging

This word in other languages

Lauschen(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • aevesdropping
  • eaevsdropping
  • eavedsropping
  • eavesddropping
  • eavesdorpping
  • eavesdroping
  • eavesdropipng
  • eavesdroppign
  • eavesdroppingg
  • eavesdroppinng
  • eavesdroppnig
  • eavesdrpoping
  • eavesdrropping
  • eavesrdopping
  • eavessdropping
  • eavsedropping
  • eavvesdropping
  • evaesdropping

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of eavesdropping - 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.

aevesdropping2eaevsdropping2eavedsropping2eavesddropping1eavesdorpping2eavesdroping1eavesdropipng2eavesdroppign2
Edit distance from "eavesdropping"

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 "eavesdropping"?
"eavesdropping" is spelled E-A-V-E-S-D-R-O-P-P-I-N-G. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈivsˌdɹɒ.piŋ/.
What does "eavesdropping" mean?
As a noun, "eavesdropping" means: verbal noun of eavesdrop:
What are common misspellings of "eavesdropping"?
Common misspellings include "aevesdropping", "eaevsdropping", "eavedsropping", "eavesddropping", "eavesdorpping". The correct spelling is "eavesdropping".
How do you pronounce "eavesdropping"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "eavesdropping" is /ˈivsˌdɹɒ.piŋ/. 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 "eavesdropping"?
From eavesdrop + -ing. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "eavesdropping", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 13 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

disheartening#34,465compositional#34,442hyperactivity#34,532intergalactic#34,546

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (18 here; floor ≥5).

combustible18 variantsinternalized18 variantslengthening18 variantsadaptability18 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list