generally

/ˈd͡ʒɛn.ɹə.li/

//ˈd͡ʒɛn.ɹə.li// adv

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

"generally" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“generally” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #1,186. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#1,186
frequency rank, English
2,313
“G” headwords
12
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Popularly or widely.

Corpus desk

Index EN-generally · generally · English

generally · rank #1,186 · 12 variants · 3 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #1,186
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 3 pairs
  • VAR-MID 12 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,313
  • PHOTO-FINISH fit

Nearest frequency peer: fit (-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 “generally”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “generally” 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).

generally vs generals
78% similar
generally vs generically
82% similar
generally vs general
78% similar

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

Key facts for generally
PropertyValue
Headwordgenerally
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/ˈd͡ʒɛn.ɹə.li/
Letters9
Frequency rank#1,186
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “generally”

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

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “fit” (#1,185), “German” (#1,187), “fear” (#1,184). Among 2,313 “G” headwords, “generally” is #1,186. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 12 spelling variants around generally (IPA /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ɹə.li/), anadverb. Corpus frequency is #1,186 among 2,313 “G” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for generally, with forms such as "egnerally", "geenrally", and "genearlly". 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 3 confusable-pair relationships, "generals", "generically", "general", 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 generally, generalliche, equivalent to general + -ly. The correct English form is generally, spelled G-E-N-E-R-A-L-L-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Popularly or widely.
  2. 2
    As a rule; usually; typically; in most cases.
  3. 3
    Without reference to specific details.
  4. 4
    In the general case, without exception; in all cases.
  5. 5
    Collectively; as a whole; without omissions.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. It is generally known that the Earth is round.
  2. The action he inaugurated culminated in the law for the suppression of trampage, that has accomplished such good in the Granite State, and that has been so generally copied in other states.

Etymology

From Middle English generally, generalliche, equivalent to general + -ly.

Synonyms

commonlybasicallyby and largecommonlyordinarilymostlyregularlywontedlyusuallynormallygenericallyalwayscollaborativelyen massejointlyall things consideredaltogetherat largeas a wholebroadlycatholiclyin generalgenerallyoveralluniversally

Antonyms

specifically

This word in other languages

generalmente(Español)généralement(Français)allgemein(Deutsch)geralmente(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • egnerally
  • geenrally
  • genearlly
  • generallyy
  • generaly
  • generalyl
  • generlaly
  • generrally
  • gennerally
  • genreally
  • ggenerally
  • gneerally

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

egnerally2geenrally2genearlly2generallyy1generaly1generalyl2generlaly2generrally1
Edit distance from "generally"

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 "generally"?
"generally" is spelled G-E-N-E-R-A-L-L-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ɹə.li/.
What does "generally" mean?
As an adverb, "generally" means: Popularly or widely.
What words are commonly confused with "generally"?
"generally" is commonly confused with "generals", "generically", "general". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "generally"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "generally" is /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ɹə.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 "generally"?
From Middle English generally, generalliche, equivalent to general + -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 "generally", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

developed#1,183knowledge#1,172secretary#1,206continued#1,162

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (12 here; floor ≥5).

includes12 variantsexpected12 variantsdesigned12 variantsfinished12 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list