encumber
/ɪnˈkʌmbə(ɹ)/
"encumber" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“encumber” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 8
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To load down something with a burden.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | encumber |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| IPA | /ɪnˈkʌmbə(ɹ)/ |
| Letters | 8 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “encumber” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for encumber is 8 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪnˈkʌmbə(ɹ)/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for encumber, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English encombren, from Old French encombrer, from en- + combrer (“to hinder”); see cumber. By surface analysis, en- + cumber. The correct English form is encumber, spelled E-N-C-U-M-B-E-R.
Definition
- 1To load down something with a burden.
- 2To restrict or block something with a hindrance or impediment.
- 3To burden with a legal claim or other obligation.
Etymology
From Middle English encombren, from Old French encombrer, from en- + combrer (“to hinder”); see cumber. By surface analysis, en- + cumber.
Antonyms
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “encumber”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is E-N-C-U-M-B-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ɪnˈkʌmbə(ɹ)/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- 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.