embody

/ɪmˈbɒdi/

//ɪmˈbɒdi// verb

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

"embody" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“embody” has 9 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #23,257. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#23,257
frequency rank, English
2,246
“E” headwords
9
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To represent in a physical or concrete form; to incarnate or personify.

Corpus desk

Index EN-embody · embody · English

embody · rank #23,257 · 9 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #23,257
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-MID 9 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,246
  • PHOTO-FINISH Elgin

Nearest frequency peer: Elgin (-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 “embody”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “embody” 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).

embody vs ebony
67% similar
embody vs embed
67% similar

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

Key facts for embody
PropertyValue
Headwordembody
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪmˈbɒdi/
Letters6
Frequency rank#23,257
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “embody”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).embodylands 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 “Elgin” (#23,256), “Ek” (#23,255), “envision” (#23,259). Among 2,246 “E” headwords, “embody” is #23,257. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 9 spelling variants around embody (IPA /ɪmˈbɒdi/), averb. Corpus frequency is #23,257 among 2,246 “E” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for embody, with forms such as "ebmody", "embbody", and "embdoy". 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, "ebony", "embed", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin em- + body. The correct English form is embody, spelled E-M-B-O-D-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    To represent in a physical or concrete form; to incarnate or personify.
  2. 2
    To represent in some other form, such as a code of laws.
  3. 3
    To comprise or include as part of a cohesive whole; to be made up of.
  4. 4
    To unite in a body or mass.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. As the car salesman approached, wearing a plaid suit and slicked-back hair, he seemed to embody sleaze.
  2. The soul, while it is embodied, can no more be divided from sin.

Etymology

From Latin em- + body.

Synonyms

actualizeconcretizeeffigiatematerializeobjectifyrealizereifythingifyembraceencompassenfoldfuseintegratemergecoalesce

This word in other languages

corporeizar(Español)incarner(Français)verkörpern(Deutsch)incorporar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ebmody
  • embbody
  • embdoy
  • emboddy
  • embodyy
  • emboyd
  • emmbody
  • emobdy
  • mebody

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ebmody2embbody1embdoy2emboddy1embodyy1emboyd2emmbody1emobdy2
Edit distance from "embody"

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 "embody"?
"embody" is spelled E-M-B-O-D-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪmˈbɒdi/.
What does "embody" mean?
As a verb, "embody" means: To represent in a physical or concrete form; to incarnate or personify.
What words are commonly confused with "embody"?
"embody" is commonly confused with "ebony", "embed". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "embody"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "embody" is /ɪmˈbɒdi/. 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 "embody"?
From Latin em- + body. 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 "embody", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Duluth#23,252Dubois#23,251doubly#23,248Dorian#23,247

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (9 here; floor ≥5).

garnet9 variantsGorman9 variantsgrossed9 variantsGuerrero9 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list