fulfill

/fʊlˈfɪl/

//fʊlˈfɪl// verb

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

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

The verdict

“fulfill” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #8,794 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#8,794
frequency rank, English
7
letters
8
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To satisfy, carry out, bring to completion (an obligation, a requirement, etc.).

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

fulfill vs fulfilled
78% similar
fulfill vs fulfil
86% similar

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

Key facts for fulfill
PropertyValue
Headwordfulfill
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/fʊlˈfɪl/
Letters7
Frequency rank#8,794
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “fulfill” 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). fulfill lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for fulfill is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /fʊlˈfɪl/. Corpus data places it at rank #8,794 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for fulfill, with forms such as "ffulfill", "flufill", and "fuflill". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "fulfilled", "fulfil", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English fulfillen, from Old English fullfyllan (“to fill full”). By surface analysis, full- + fill. The correct English form is fulfill, spelled F-U-L-F-I-L-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    To satisfy, carry out, bring to completion (an obligation, a requirement, etc.).
  2. 2
    To emotionally or artistically satisfy; to develop one's gifts to the fullest.
  3. 3
    To obey, follow, comply with (a rule, requirement etc.).
  4. 4
    To package, distribute, or ship goods.
  5. 5
    To fill full; fill to the utmost capacity; fill up.

Etymology

From Middle English fulfillen, from Old English fullfyllan (“to fill full”). By surface analysis, full- + fill.

This word in other languages

cumplir(Español)combler(Français)erfüllen(Deutsch)realizar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ffulfill,flufill,fuflill,fulffill,fulflil,fulifll,fullfill,uflfill

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of fulfill - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ffulfill1flufill2fuflill2fulffill1fulflil2fulifll2fullfill1uflfill2
Edit distance from "fulfill"

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 "fulfill"?
"fulfill" is spelled F-U-L-F-I-L-L. The IPA pronunciation is /fʊlˈfɪl/.
What does "fulfill" mean?
As a verb, "fulfill" means: To satisfy, carry out, bring to completion (an obligation, a requirement, etc.).
What words are commonly confused with "fulfill"?
"fulfill" is commonly confused with "fulfilled", "fulfil". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "fulfill"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "fulfill" is /fʊlˈfɪl/. 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 "fulfill"?
From Middle English fulfillen, from Old English fullfyllan (“to fill full”). By surface analysis, full- + fill. 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 “fulfill”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is F-U-L-F-I-L-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /fʊlˈfɪl/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “fulfilled” - see the side-by-side comparison. fulfill vs fulfilled
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list