evacuate

Name: evacuate, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ɪˈvæk.ju.eɪt/

//ɪˈvæk.ju.eɪt// verb

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“evacuate” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #14,316 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#14,316
frequency rank, English: 8
letters: 10
tracked misspellings: 3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To leave or withdraw from; to quit; to retire from.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

evacuate vs evaluate

88% similar

evacuate vs evacuated

89% similar

evacuate vs ejaculate

78% similar

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

Key facts for evacuate
Property	Value
Headword	evacuate
Language	English
Part of speech	Verb
IPA	/ɪˈvæk.ju.eɪt/
Letters	8
Frequency rank	#14,316
Misspellings tracked	10
Confusable pairs	3
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “evacuate” 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). evacuate lands here:

#14,316

#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 evacuate is 8 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪˈvæk.ju.eɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #14,316 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for evacuate, with forms such as "eavcuate", "evacaute", and "evaccuate". 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 3 confusable-pair relationships, "evaluate", "evacuated", "ejaculate", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: First attested in 1526; borrowed from Latin ēvacuātus, the perfect passive participle of ēvacuō (“to empty out, evacuate”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). The correct English form is evacuate, spelled E-V-A-C-U-A-T-E.

Definition

1
To leave or withdraw from; to quit; to retire from.
2
To cause (or help) to leave or withdraw from.
3
To make empty; to empty out; to remove the contents of, including to create a vacuum.
4
To make empty; to deprive.
5
To remove; to eject; to void; to discharge, as the contents of a vessel, or of the bladder or the bowels (to stool).
6
To make void; to nullify; to vacate.

Etymology

First attested in 1526; borrowed from Latin ēvacuātus, the perfect passive participle of ēvacuō (“to empty out, evacuate”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix).

This word in other languages

evacuar(Español)évacuer(Français)evakuieren(Deutsch)evacuar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: eavcuate,evacaute,evaccuate,evacuaet,evacuatte,evacutae,evaucate,evcauate,evvacuate,veacuate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

Edit distance from "evacuate"

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 "evacuate"?

"evacuate" is spelled E-V-A-C-U-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪˈvæk.ju.eɪt/.

What does "evacuate" mean?

As a verb, "evacuate" means: To leave or withdraw from; to quit; to retire from.

What words are commonly confused with "evacuate"?

"evacuate" is commonly confused with "evaluate", "evacuated", "ejaculate". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.

How do you pronounce "evacuate"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "evacuate" is /ɪˈvæk.ju.eɪt/. 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 "evacuate"?

First attested in 1526; borrowed from Latin ēvacuātus, the perfect passive participle of ēvacuō (“to empty out, evacuate”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). 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 “evacuate”

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

The one correct English spelling is E-V-A-C-U-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /ɪˈvæk.ju.eɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Don't mix it up with “evaluate” - see the side-by-side comparison. evacuate vs evaluate
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.