expropriate

/ɛksˈpɹəʊpɹi.eɪt/

//ɛksˈpɹəʊpɹi.eɪt// verb

"expropriate" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“expropriate” is uncommon English (frequency #84,231 among 2,246 “E” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#84,231
frequency rank, English
2,246
“E” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To deprive a person of (their private property) for public use.

Corpus desk

Index EN-expropriate · expropriate · English

expropriate · rank #84,231 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #84,231
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,246
  • PHOTO-FINISH extensibility

Nearest frequency peer: extensibility (+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.

Long-tail ranks near “expropriate”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “expropriate” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for expropriate
PropertyValue
Headwordexpropriate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɛksˈpɹəʊpɹi.eɪt/
Letters11
Frequency rank#84,231
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “expropriate” in English

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).expropriatefalls in this rarity band:

#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. Rare peers in the same band: “extensibility” (#84,232), “extensional” (#84,233), “eventuate” (#84,225). Among 2,246 “E” headwords, “expropriate” is #84,231. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

expropriate is uncommon English at frequency #84,231 among 2,246 “E” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ɛksˈpɹəʊpɹi.eɪt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for expropriate, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Medieval Latin expropriātus. The correct English form is expropriate, spelled E-X-P-R-O-P-R-I-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To deprive a person of (their private property) for public use.
  2. 2
    To surrender a claim to private property without material compensation; to deprive oneself of private propriety rights.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. States have the right to nationalize or expropriate the assets of a transnational corporation operating in their territory. Investments of foreign investors shall not be nationalized or expropriated except for a purpose in the public interest; […]
  2. When you have resigned, or rather consigned, your expropriated will to God, and thereby entrusted him to will for you, all his dispensations towards you are, in effect, the acts of your own will.

Etymology

From Medieval Latin expropriātus.

This word in other languages

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 "expropriate"?
"expropriate" is spelled E-X-P-R-O-P-R-I-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɛksˈpɹəʊpɹi.eɪt/.
What does "expropriate" mean?
As a verb, "expropriate" means: To deprive a person of (their private property) for public use.
How do you pronounce "expropriate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "expropriate" is /ɛksˈpɹəʊpɹi.eɪt/. 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 "expropriate"?
From Medieval Latin expropriātus. 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 "expropriate", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 11 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list