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
18,613
“F” headwords
11
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - frightening, especially in appearance.

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)

Where “fearsome” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). fearsome lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). 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 18,613 “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

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.

Using “fearsome”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is F-E-A-R-S-O-M-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈfɪɹsəm/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “foursome” - see the side-by-side comparison. fearsome vs foursome
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list