extreme

/ɪkˈstɹiːm/

//ɪkˈstɹiːm// adj

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

"extreme" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“extreme” has 10 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #2,483. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#2,483
frequency rank, English
2,246
“E” headwords
10
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Of a place, the most remote, farthest or outermost.

Corpus desk

Index EN-extreme · extreme · English

extreme · rank #2,483 · 10 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #2,483
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-MID 10 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,246
  • PHOTO-FINISH entertainment

Nearest frequency peer: entertainment (-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 “extreme”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “extreme” 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).

extreme vs extremes
88% similar
extreme vs extremely
78% similar

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

Key facts for extreme
PropertyValue
Headwordextreme
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ɪkˈstɹiːm/
Letters7
Frequency rank#2,483
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “extreme”

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).extremelands 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 “entertainment” (#2,482), “facility” (#2,484), “educational” (#2,481). Among 2,246 “E” headwords, “extreme” is #2,483. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 10 spelling variants around extreme (IPA /ɪkˈstɹiːm/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #2,483 among 2,246 “E” headwords. Wiktionary lists 6 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for extreme, with forms such as "etxreme", "exrteme", and "exterme". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "extremes", "extremely", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed into late Middle English from Old French extreme, from Latin extrēmus, the superlative of exter. The correct English form is extreme, spelled E-X-T-R-E-M-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Of a place, the most remote, farthest or outermost.
  2. 2
    In the greatest or highest degree; intense.
  3. 3
    Excessive, or far beyond the norm.
  4. 4
    Drastic, or of great severity.
  5. 5
    Of sports, difficult or dangerous; performed in a hazardous environment.
  6. 6
    Ultimate, final or last.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. At the extreme edges, the coating is very thin.
  2. He has an extreme aversion to needles, and avoids visiting the doctor.

Etymology

Borrowed into late Middle English from Old French extreme, from Latin extrēmus, the superlative of exter.

This word in other languages

extremo(Español)extrême(Français)extrem(Deutsch)extremo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • etxreme
  • exrteme
  • exterme
  • extreem
  • extremme
  • extrmee
  • extrreme
  • exttreme
  • exxtreme
  • xetreme

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of extreme - 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.

etxreme2exrteme2exterme2extreem2extremme1extrmee2extrreme1exttreme1
Edit distance from "extreme"

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 "extreme"?
"extreme" is spelled E-X-T-R-E-M-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪkˈstɹiːm/.
What does "extreme" mean?
As an adjective, "extreme" means: Of a place, the most remote, farthest or outermost.
What words are commonly confused with "extreme"?
"extreme" is commonly confused with "extremes", "extremely". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "extreme"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "extreme" is /ɪkˈstɹiːm/. 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 "extreme"?
Borrowed into late Middle English from Old French extreme, from Latin extrēmus, the superlative of exter. 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 "extreme", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

dealing#2,478maximum#2,491answers#2,473reserve#2,496

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (10 here; floor ≥5).

offering10 variantsstands10 variantsswitch10 variantsreferred10 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list