embargo

/ɪmˈbɑɹɡoʊ/

//ɪmˈbɑɹɡoʊ// noun

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

"embargo" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“embargo” has 10 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #19,322. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#19,322
frequency rank, English
2,246
“E” headwords
10
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - An order by the government prohibiting ships from leaving port.

Corpus desk

Index EN-embargo · embargo · English

embargo · rank #19,322 · 10 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #19,322
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-MID 10 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,246
  • PHOTO-FINISH effected

Nearest frequency peer: effected (-1 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 “embargo”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “embargo” 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

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

embargo vs embark
71% similar
embargo vs embryo
71% similar

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

Key facts for embargo
PropertyValue
Headwordembargo
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɪmˈbɑɹɡoʊ/
Letters7
Frequency rank#19,322
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “embargo”

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).embargolands here:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “effected” (#19,321), “embodiment” (#19,323), “doubting” (#19,319). Among 2,246 “E” headwords, “embargo” is #19,322. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 10 spelling variants around embargo (IPA /ɪmˈbɑɹɡoʊ/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #19,322 among 2,246 “E” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for embargo, with forms such as "ebmargo", "emabrgo", and "embagro". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "embark", "embryo", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Spanish embargar (“to arrest”), from late Latin *imbarricāre (“to bar”), from Latin in- + Vulgar Latin *barra (“bar, barrier”). The correct English form is embargo, spelled E-M-B-A-R-G-O.

Definition

  1. 1
    An order by the government prohibiting ships from leaving port.
  2. 2
    A ban on trade with another country.
  3. 3
    A temporary ban on making certain information public.
  4. 4
    A heavy burden or severe constraint on action or expenditure.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Instead he [Jefferson] proposed an embargo, an end to all trade between America and England.
  2. This copy of the federal budget is under embargo until 2 p.m.

Etymology

From Spanish embargar (“to arrest”), from late Latin *imbarricāre (“to bar”), from Latin in- + Vulgar Latin *barra (“bar, barrier”).

Synonyms

blockade

This word in other languages

embargo(Español)embargo(Français)Embargo(Deutsch)embargo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ebmargo
  • emabrgo
  • embagro
  • embarggo
  • embarog
  • embarrgo
  • embbargo
  • embrago
  • emmbargo
  • mebargo

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ebmargo2emabrgo2embagro2embarggo1embarog2embarrgo1embbargo1embrago2
Edit distance from "embargo"

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 "embargo"?
"embargo" is spelled E-M-B-A-R-G-O. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪmˈbɑɹɡoʊ/.
What does "embargo" mean?
As a noun, "embargo" means: An order by the government prohibiting ships from leaving port.
What words are commonly confused with "embargo"?
"embargo" is commonly confused with "embark", "embryo". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "embargo"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "embargo" is /ɪmˈbɑɹɡoʊ/. 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 "embargo"?
From Spanish embargar (“to arrest”), from late Latin *imbarricāre (“to bar”), from Latin in- + Vulgar Latin *barra (“bar, barrier”). 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 "embargo", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

encoded#19,325dodging#19,317docking#19,316fairies#19,332

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (10 here; floor ≥5).

effected10 variantsfooling10 variantsCorbyn10 variantscommando10 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list