execution
/ˌɛk.sɪˈkjuː.ʃən/
"execution" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“execution” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #4,374 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #4,374
- frequency rank, English
- 9
- letters
- 13
- tracked misspellings
- 8
- confusable pairs
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act, manner or style of executing (actions, maneuvers, performances).
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 | execution |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˌɛk.sɪˈkjuː.ʃən/ |
| Letters | 9 |
| Frequency rank | #4,374 |
| Misspellings tracked | 13 |
| Confusable pairs | 8 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “execution” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for execution is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌɛk.sɪˈkjuː.ʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #4,374 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for execution, with forms such as "eexcution", "exceution", and "execcution". 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 8 confusable-pair relationships, "executor", "exertion", "executive", 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 Old French execution (c.1360), from Latin exsecutiō, an agent noun from exsequor (“to follow out”), from ex (“out”) + sequor (“follow”). Equivalent to execute + -ion. The correct English form is execution, spelled E-X-E-C-U-T-I-O-N.
Definition
- 1The act, manner or style of executing (actions, maneuvers, performances).
- 2The state of being accomplished.
- 3The act of putting to death or being put to death as a penalty, or actions so associated.
- 4The carrying into effect of a court judgment, or of a will.
- 5Specifically, the seizure of a debtor's goods or property in default of payment.
- 6The formal process by which a contract is made valid and put into binding effect.
- 7The carrying out of an instruction, program or program segment by a computer.
Etymology
From Old French execution (c.1360), from Latin exsecutiō, an agent noun from exsequor (“to follow out”), from ex (“out”) + sequor (“follow”). Equivalent to execute + -ion.
Synonyms
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: eexcution,exceution,execcution,exectuion,execuiton,execusion,executino,executionn,executoin,executtion,exeuction,exxecution,xeecution
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of execution - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.
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
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Using “execution”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is E-X-E-C-U-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˌɛk.sɪˈkjuː.ʃən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Don't mix it up with “executor” - see the side-by-side comparison. execution vs executor
- 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.