expression

/əkˈspɹɛʃ.n̩/

//əkˈspɹɛʃ.n̩// noun

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

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

The verdict

“expression” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,734 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#2,734
frequency rank, English
10
letters
14
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The action of expressing thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

expression vs expressive
80% similar
expression vs expressions
91% similar
expression vs expressing
80% similar

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

Key facts for expression
PropertyValue
Headwordexpression
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/əkˈspɹɛʃ.n̩/
Letters10
Frequency rank#2,734
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “expression” 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). expression 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 expression is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əkˈspɹɛʃ.n̩/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,734 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 11 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for expression, with forms such as "epxression", "experssion", and "exppression". 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, "expressive", "expressions", "expressing", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Middle French expression, from Late Latin expressiō, expressiōnem (“a pressing out”). Morphologically express + -ion. The correct English form is expression, spelled E-X-P-R-E-S-S-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The action of expressing thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc.
  2. 2
    A particular way of phrasing an idea.
  3. 3
    A colloquialism or idiom.
  4. 4
    A facial appearance usually associated with an emotion.
  5. 5
    An arrangement of symbols denoting values, operations performed on them, and grouping symbols.
  6. 6
    The process of translating a gene into a protein.
  7. 7
    A piece of code in a high-level language that returns a value.
  8. 8
    A specific blend of whisky.
  9. 9
    The act of pressing or squeezing out.
  10. 10
    The tone of voice or sound in music.
  11. 11
    Emotional involvement or engagement in a text read aloud rendered by the voice of the reciter or the reader.

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French expression, from Late Latin expressiō, expressiōnem (“a pressing out”). Morphologically express + -ion.

This word in other languages

expresión(Español)expression(Français)Ausdruck(Deutsch)expressão(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: epxression,experssion,exppression,expresion,expresison,expressino,expressionn,expressoin,exprestion,exprression,exprsesion,exrpession,exxpression,xepression

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

epxression2experssion2exppression1expresion1expresison2expressino2expressionn1expressoin2
Edit distance from "expression"

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 "expression"?
"expression" is spelled E-X-P-R-E-S-S-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /əkˈspɹɛʃ.n̩/.
What does "expression" mean?
As a noun, "expression" means: The action of expressing thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc.
What words are commonly confused with "expression"?
"expression" is commonly confused with "expressive", "expressions", "expressing". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "expression"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "expression" is /əkˈspɹɛʃ.n̩/. 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 "expression"?
Borrowed from Middle French expression, from Late Latin expressiō, expressiōnem (“a pressing out”). Morphologically express + -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 “expression”

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

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