fearsome

/ˈfɪɹsəm/

//ˈfɪɹsəm// adj

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

"fearsome" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“fearsome” has 11 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #27,145. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#27,145
frequency rank, English
2,507
“F” headwords
11
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - frightening, especially in appearance.

Corpus desk

Index EN-fearsome · fearsome · English

fearsome · rank #27,145 · 11 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #27,145
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-MID 11 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,507
  • PHOTO-FINISH fastball

Nearest frequency peer: fastball (-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 “fearsome”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “fearsome” 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).

fearsome vs foursome
75% similar

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

Key facts for fearsome
PropertyValue
Headwordfearsome
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈfɪɹsəm/
Letters8
Frequency rank#27,145
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “fearsome”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).fearsomelands 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 “fastball” (#27,144), “feathered” (#27,146), “fertilization” (#27,147). Among 2,507 “F” headwords, “fearsome” is #27,145. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 11 spelling variants around fearsome (IPA /ˈfɪɹsəm/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #27,145 among 2,507 “F” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for fearsome, with forms such as "efarsome", "faersome", and "fearosme". 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 1 confusable-pair relationship, "foursome", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From fear + -some. Compare German furchtsam (“fearful”, obsolete also “fearsome”); this is more closely equivalent to English frightsome, however. The correct English form is fearsome, spelled F-E-A-R-S-O-M-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    frightening, especially in appearance.
  2. 2
    fearful, frightened

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. fearsome reputation
  2. fearsome weapon

Etymology

From fear + -some. Compare German furchtsam (“fearful”, obsolete also “fearsome”); this is more closely equivalent to English frightsome, however.

This word in other languages

temible(Español)effroyable(Français)fürchterlich(Deutsch)temível(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • efarsome
  • faersome
  • fearosme
  • fearrsome
  • fearsmoe
  • fearsoem
  • fearsomme
  • fearssome
  • feasrome
  • ferasome
  • ffearsome

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

efarsome2faersome2fearosme2fearrsome1fearsmoe2fearsoem2fearsomme1fearssome1
Edit distance from "fearsome"

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 "fearsome"?
"fearsome" is spelled F-E-A-R-S-O-M-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈfɪɹsəm/.
What does "fearsome" mean?
As an adjective, "fearsome" means: frightening, especially in appearance.
What words are commonly confused with "fearsome"?
"fearsome" is commonly confused with "foursome". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "fearsome"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "fearsome" is /ˈfɪɹsəm/. 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 "fearsome"?
From fear + -some. Compare German furchtsam (“fearful”, obsolete also “fearsome”); this is more closely equivalent to English frightsome, however. 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 "fearsome", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

fastball#27,144expedite#27,141frosting#27,154drooling#27,129

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (11 here; floor ≥5).

ducking11 variantsgasping11 variantsglorify11 variantsHenrietta11 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list