extensively

/ɪkˈstɛn.sɪv.li/

//ɪkˈstɛn.sɪv.li// adv

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

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

The verdict

“extensively” has 17 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #8,664. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#8,664
frequency rank, English
2,246
“E” headwords
17
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - In an extensive manner, widely.

Corpus desk

Index EN-extensively · extensively · English

extensively · rank #8,664 · 17 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #8,664
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 17 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,246
  • PHOTO-FINISH examining

Nearest frequency peer: examining (-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 “extensively”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “extensively” 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).

extensively vs extensive
82% similar
extensively vs excessively
82% similar

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

Key facts for extensively
PropertyValue
Headwordextensively
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/ɪkˈstɛn.sɪv.li/
Letters11
Frequency rank#8,664
Misspellings tracked17
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “extensively”

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).extensivelylands here:

#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. Same rarity band neighbours include “examining” (#8,663), “FDA” (#8,665), “forehead” (#8,667). Among 2,246 “E” headwords, “extensively” is #8,664. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 17 spelling variants around extensively (IPA /ɪkˈstɛn.sɪv.li/), anadverb. Corpus frequency is #8,664 among 2,246 “E” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for extensively, with forms such as "etxensively", "exetnsively", and "extenisvely". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "extensive", "excessively", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From extensive + -ly. The correct English form is extensively, spelled E-X-T-E-N-S-I-V-E-L-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    In an extensive manner, widely.
  2. 2
    To a great extent.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. He has read and traveled extensively.
  2. He became more extensively involved than he intended.

Etymology

From extensive + -ly.

This word in other languages

extensivamente(Español)largement(Français)umfassend(Deutsch)muito(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • etxensively
  • exetnsively
  • extenisvely
  • extennsively
  • extensievly
  • extensivelly
  • extensivelyy
  • extensiveyl
  • extensivley
  • extensivvely
  • extenssively
  • extensviely
  • extesnively
  • extnesively
  • exttensively
  • exxtensively
  • xetensively

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of extensively - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

etxensively2exetnsively2extenisvely2extennsively1extensievly2extensivelly1extensivelyy1extensiveyl2
Edit distance from "extensively"

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 "extensively"?
"extensively" is spelled E-X-T-E-N-S-I-V-E-L-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪkˈstɛn.sɪv.li/.
What does "extensively" mean?
As an adverb, "extensively" means: In an extensive manner, widely.
What words are commonly confused with "extensively"?
"extensively" is commonly confused with "extensive", "excessively". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "extensively"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "extensively" is /ɪkˈstɛn.sɪv.li/. 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 "extensively"?
From extensive + -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 "extensively", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

forgiveness#8,669distinguish#8,657Minneapolis#8,693neighboring#8,698

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (17 here; floor ≥5).

undoubtedly17 variantsproblematic17 variantsprospective17 variantsunacceptable17 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list