exhaustion

/ɪɡˈzɔːs.t͡ʃən/

//ɪɡˈzɔːs.t͡ʃən// noun

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

"exhaustion" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“exhaustion” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #15,163 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#15,163
frequency rank, English
10
letters
15
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The point of complete depletion, of the state of being used up.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

exhaustion vs exhaustive
80% similar
exhaustion vs exhausting
80% similar

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

Key facts for exhaustion
PropertyValue
Headwordexhaustion
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɪɡˈzɔːs.t͡ʃən/
Letters10
Frequency rank#15,163
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “exhaustion” 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). exhaustion lands here:

#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 exhaustion is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪɡˈzɔːs.t͡ʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #15,163 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for exhaustion, with forms such as "ehxaustion", "exahustion", and "exhasution". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "exhaustive", "exhausting", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Medieval Latin exhaustiō, from exhauriō. Surface analysis: exhaust + -ion. The correct English form is exhaustion, spelled E-X-H-A-U-S-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The point of complete depletion, of the state of being used up.
  2. 2
    Supreme tiredness; having exhausted energy.
  3. 3
    The removal (by percolation etc) of an active medicinal constituent from plant material.
  4. 4
    The removal of all air from a vessel (the creation of a vacuum).
  5. 5
    An exhaustive procedure

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin exhaustiō, from exhauriō. Surface analysis: exhaust + -ion.

This word in other languages

agotamiento(Español)épuisement(Français)Erschöpfung(Deutsch)exaustão(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ehxaustion,exahustion,exhasution,exhausiton,exhaussion,exhausstion,exhaustino,exhaustionn,exhaustoin,exhausttion,exhautsion,exhhaustion,exhuastion,exxhaustion,xehaustion

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of exhaustion - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ehxaustion2exahustion2exhasution2exhausiton2exhaussion1exhausstion1exhaustino2exhaustionn1
Edit distance from "exhaustion"

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 "exhaustion"?
"exhaustion" is spelled E-X-H-A-U-S-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪɡˈzɔːs.t͡ʃən/.
What does "exhaustion" mean?
As a noun, "exhaustion" means: The point of complete depletion, of the state of being used up.
What words are commonly confused with "exhaustion"?
"exhaustion" is commonly confused with "exhaustive", "exhausting". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "exhaustion"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "exhaustion" is /ɪɡˈzɔːs.t͡ʃən/. 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 "exhaustion"?
Borrowed from Medieval Latin exhaustiō, from exhauriō. Surface analysis: exhaust + -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.

Using “exhaustion”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is E-X-H-A-U-S-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪɡˈzɔːs.t͡ʃən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “exhaustive” - see the side-by-side comparison. exhaustion vs exhaustive
  • 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list