enlist
/ɛnˈlɪst/
"enlist" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“enlist” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #17,833 in English word frequency and used as a verb.
- #17,833
- frequency rank, English
- 6
- letters
- 9
- tracked misspellings
- 7
- confusable pairs
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To enter on a list; to enroll; to register.
Visual similarity to commonly confused words
How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).
Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | enlist |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| IPA | /ɛnˈlɪst/ |
| Letters | 6 |
| Frequency rank | #17,833 |
| Misspellings tracked | 9 |
| Confusable pairs | 7 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “enlist” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for enlist is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɛnˈlɪst/. Corpus data places it at rank #17,833 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for enlist, with forms such as "elnist", "enilst", and "enlisst". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 7 confusable-pair relationships, "exist", "Ennis", "Ellis", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.
Etymologically, the entry records: From en- + list. The correct English form is enlist, spelled E-N-L-I-S-T.
Definition
- 1To enter on a list; to enroll; to register.
- 2To voluntarily join a cause or organization, especially military service.
- 3To recruit the aid or membership of others.
- 4To secure; to obtain.
Etymology
From en- + list.
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: elnist,enilst,enlisst,enlistt,enlits,enllist,enlsit,ennlist,nelist
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of enlist - 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.
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 "enlist"?
What does "enlist" mean?
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Using “enlist”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is E-N-L-I-S-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ɛnˈlɪst/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Don't mix it up with “exist” - see the side-by-side comparison. enlist vs exist
- 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.