exemplify

/ɛɡˈzɛmplɪfaɪ/

//ɛɡˈzɛmplɪfaɪ// verb

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

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

The verdict

“exemplify” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #40,237. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#40,237
frequency rank, English
2,246
“E” headwords
14
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To show or illustrate by example.

Corpus desk

Index EN-exemplify · exemplify · English

exemplify · rank #40,237 · 14 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #40,237
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,246
  • PHOTO-FINISH estradiol

Nearest frequency peer: estradiol (-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 “exemplify”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “exemplify” 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).

exemplify vs exemplary
78% similar

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

Key facts for exemplify
PropertyValue
Headwordexemplify
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɛɡˈzɛmplɪfaɪ/
Letters9
Frequency rank#40,237
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “exemplify”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).exemplifylands here:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “estradiol” (#40,236), “fanaticism” (#40,238), “especial” (#40,235). Among 2,246 “E” headwords, “exemplify” is #40,237. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around exemplify (IPA /ɛɡˈzɛmplɪfaɪ/), averb. Corpus frequency is #40,237 among 2,246 “E” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for exemplify, with forms such as "eexmplify", "exemlpify", and "exemmplify". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "exemplary", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Medieval Latin exemplificare, from Latin exemplum (“example”). The correct English form is exemplify, spelled E-X-E-M-P-L-I-F-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    To show or illustrate by example.
  2. 2
    To be an instance of or serve as an example.
  3. 3
    To make an attested copy or transcript of (a document) under seal.
  4. 4
    To prove by such an attested copy or transcript.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. [T]he pleasure of writing on wax with a stylus is exemplified by the fine, flowing hand of a Roman scribe who made out the birth certificate of Herennia Gemella, born March 128 AD.
  2. Of course, closure of the West station took away the hotel's raison d'être. In May 2012, the local newspaper reported that this historic hotel, by then rated the town's worst (exemplified by its final review: "Please avoid at all costs"), was to be converted into 31 first-time-buyer one-bedroom flats.

Etymology

From Medieval Latin exemplificare, from Latin exemplum (“example”).

This word in other languages

ejemplificar(Español)exemplifier(Français)exemplifizieren(Deutsch)exemplificar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • eexmplify
  • exemlpify
  • exemmplify
  • exempilfy
  • exemplfiy
  • exempliffy
  • exemplifyy
  • exempliyf
  • exempllify
  • exempplify
  • exepmlify
  • exmeplify
  • exxemplify
  • xeemplify

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of exemplify - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

eexmplify2exemlpify2exemmplify1exempilfy2exemplfiy2exempliffy1exemplifyy1exempliyf2
Edit distance from "exemplify"

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 "exemplify"?
"exemplify" is spelled E-X-E-M-P-L-I-F-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ɛɡˈzɛmplɪfaɪ/.
What does "exemplify" mean?
As a verb, "exemplify" means: To show or illustrate by example.
What words are commonly confused with "exemplify"?
"exemplify" is commonly confused with "exemplary". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "exemplify"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "exemplify" is /ɛɡˈzɛmplɪfaɪ/. 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 "exemplify"?
From Medieval Latin exemplificare, from Latin exemplum (“example”). 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 "exemplify", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

estradiol#40,236fattening#40,239ergonomic#40,234endoscopy#40,231

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (14 here; floor ≥5).

glandular14 variantsGreenspan14 variantsDarwinism14 variantshandiwork14 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list