execution

/ˌɛk.sɪˈkjuː.ʃən/

//ˌɛk.sɪˈkjuː.ʃən// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"execution" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“execution” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #4,374. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#4,374
frequency rank, English
2,246
“E” headwords
13
tracked misspellings
8
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The act, manner or style of executing (actions, maneuvers, performances).

Corpus desk

Index EN-execution · execution · English

execution · rank #4,374 · 13 variants · 8 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #4,374
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 8 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 13 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,246
  • PHOTO-FINISH estimate

Nearest frequency peer: estimate (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “execution”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “execution” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

execution vs executor
78% similar
execution vs exertion
78% similar
execution vs executive
78% similar

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

Key facts for execution
PropertyValue
Headwordexecution
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌɛk.sɪˈkjuː.ʃən/
Letters9
Frequency rank#4,374
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs8
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “execution”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).executionlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “estimate” (#4,373), “existed” (#4,375), “eligible” (#4,372). Among 2,246 “E” headwords, “execution” is #4,374. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around execution (IPA /ˌɛk.sɪˈkjuː.ʃən/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #4,374 among 2,246 “E” headwords. Wiktionary lists 7 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

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

  1. 1
    The act, manner or style of executing (actions, maneuvers, performances).
  2. 2
    The state of being accomplished.
  3. 3
    The act of putting to death or being put to death as a penalty, or actions so associated.
  4. 4
    The carrying into effect of a court judgment, or of a will.
  5. 5
    Specifically, the seizure of a debtor's goods or property in default of payment.
  6. 6
    The formal process by which a contract is made valid and put into binding effect.
  7. 7
    The carrying out of an instruction, program or program segment by a computer.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how execution appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Already the poor man saw himself crowned by the might of his arm Emperor of Trebizond at least; and so, led away by the intense enjoyment he found in these pleasant fancies, he set himself forthwith to put his scheme into execution.
  2. The mission's successful execution lifted the troops' morale.

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

pursuance

This word in other languages

ejecución(Español)exécution(Français)Ausführung(Deutsch)execução(Português)

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.

eexcution2exceution2execcution1exectuion2execuiton2execusion1executino2executionn1
Edit distance from "execution"

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 "execution"?
"execution" is spelled E-X-E-C-U-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɛk.sɪˈkjuː.ʃən/.
What does "execution" mean?
As a noun, "execution" means: The act, manner or style of executing (actions, maneuvers, performances).
What words are commonly confused with "execution"?
"execution" is commonly confused with "executor", "exertion", "executive". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "execution"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "execution" is /ˌɛk.sɪˈkjuː.ʃən/. 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 "execution"?
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. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "execution", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

framework#4,379franchise#4,380furniture#4,382lifestyle#4,390

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (13 here; floor ≥5).

distinct13 variantslighting13 variantsaccounting13 variantssacrifice13 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list