expressly

/ɪkˈspɹɛsli/

//ɪkˈspɹɛsli// adv

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

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

The verdict

“expressly” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #15,403. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#15,403
frequency rank, English
2,246
“E” headwords
13
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - In an express or explicit manner; in a clear or specific manner.

Corpus desk

Index EN-expressly · expressly · English

expressly · rank #15,403 · 13 variants · 3 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #15,403
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 3 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 13 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,246
  • PHOTO-FINISH fabrication

Nearest frequency peer: fabrication (+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 “expressly”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “expressly” 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).

expressly vs expressway
80% similar
expressly vs express
78% similar
expressly vs expressed
78% similar

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

Key facts for expressly
PropertyValue
Headwordexpressly
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/ɪkˈspɹɛsli/
Letters9
Frequency rank#15,403
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “expressly”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).expresslylands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “fabrication” (#15,404), “expiration” (#15,401), “Estonia” (#15,400). Among 2,246 “E” headwords, “expressly” is #15,403. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around expressly (IPA /ɪkˈspɹɛsli/), anadverb. Corpus frequency is #15,403 among 2,246 “E” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for expressly, with forms such as "epxressly", "experssly", and "exppressly". 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 3 confusable-pair relationships, "expressway", "express", "expressed", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From express + -ly. The correct English form is expressly, spelled E-X-P-R-E-S-S-L-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    In an express or explicit manner; in a clear or specific manner.
  2. 2
    Exclusively or specifically.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. We were expressly permitted to use the building. See – here is the note from the manager clearly stating that we have permission to use the building.
  2. "What do you think of this sentence, my dear Lizzy?" said Jane as she finished it. "Is it not clear enough? Does it not expressly declare that Caroline neither expects nor wishes me to be her sister; […]"

Etymology

From express + -ly.

This word in other languages

expresamente(Español)ausdrücklich(Deutsch)expressamente(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • epxressly
  • experssly
  • exppressly
  • expreslsy
  • expresly
  • expresslly
  • expresslyy
  • expressyl
  • exprressly
  • exprsesly
  • exrpessly
  • exxpressly
  • xepressly

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

epxressly2experssly2exppressly1expreslsy2expresly1expresslly1expresslyy1expressyl2
Edit distance from "expressly"

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 "expressly"?
"expressly" is spelled E-X-P-R-E-S-S-L-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪkˈspɹɛsli/.
What does "expressly" mean?
As an adverb, "expressly" means: In an express or explicit manner; in a clear or specific manner.
What words are commonly confused with "expressly"?
"expressly" is commonly confused with "expressway", "express", "expressed". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "expressly"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "expressly" is /ɪkˈspɹɛsli/. 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 "expressly"?
From express + -ly. 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 "expressly", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

foreigner#15,409corrosion#15,378blueprint#15,351Blackburn#15,348

Similar misspelling depth

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

Clarkson13 variantsNormandy13 variantsavalanche13 variantspilgrims13 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list