emerge

/ɪˈmɜːd͡ʒ/

//ɪˈmɜːd͡ʒ// verb

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

The verdict

“emerge” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #8,417 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#8,417
frequency rank, English
6
letters
8
tracked misspellings
5
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To come into view.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

emerge vs emery
67% similar
emerge vs energy
67% similar
emerge vs emerged
86% similar

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

Key facts for emerge
PropertyValue
Headwordemerge
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪˈmɜːd͡ʒ/
Letters6
Frequency rank#8,417
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs5
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “emerge” 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). emerge 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 emerge is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪˈmɜːd͡ʒ/. Corpus data places it at rank #8,417 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 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for emerge, with forms such as "eemrge", "emegre", and "emereg". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 5 confusable-pair relationships, "emery", "energy", "emerged", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: First attested in the late 16th century. Borrowed from Middle French emerger, from Latin ēmergō (“to rise up or out”), from ē- (a variant of ex- (“out, forth”)) + mergō (“to dip, to sink”) The correct English form is emerge, spelled E-M-E-R-G-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To come into view.
  2. 2
    To come out of a situation, object, or a liquid.
  3. 3
    To become known.

Etymology

First attested in the late 16th century. Borrowed from Middle French emerger, from Latin ēmergō (“to rise up or out”), from ē- (a variant of ex- (“out, forth”)) + mergō (“to dip, to sink”)

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: eemrge,emegre,emereg,emergge,emerrge,emmerge,emrege,meerge

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

eemrge2emegre2emereg2emergge1emerrge1emmerge1emrege2meerge2
Edit distance from "emerge"

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 "emerge"?
"emerge" is spelled E-M-E-R-G-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪˈmɜːd͡ʒ/.
What does "emerge" mean?
As a verb, "emerge" means: To come into view.
What words are commonly confused with "emerge"?
"emerge" is commonly confused with "emery", "energy", "emerged". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "emerge"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "emerge" is /ɪˈmɜːd͡ʒ/. 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 "emerge"?
First attested in the late 16th century. Borrowed from Middle French emerger, from Latin ēmergō (“to rise up or out”), from ē- (a variant of ex- (“out, forth”)) + mergō (“to dip, to sink”) 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 “emerge”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is E-M-E-R-G-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪˈmɜːd͡ʒ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “emery” - see the side-by-side comparison. emerge vs emery
  • 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