imperfection

/ɪmpɚˈfɛkʃən/

//ɪmpɚˈfɛkʃən// noun

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

"imperfection" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“imperfection” has 19 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #36,614. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#36,614
frequency rank, English
2,140
“I” headwords
19
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Those qualities or features that are imperfect; the characteristic, state, or quality of being imperfect.

Corpus desk

Index EN-imperfection · imperfection · English

imperfection · rank #36,614 · 19 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #36,614
  • LEN-MEGA 12 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 19 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,140
  • PHOTO-FINISH implosion

Nearest frequency peer: implosion (+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 “imperfection”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “imperfection” 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
Key facts for imperfection
PropertyValue
Headwordimperfection
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɪmpɚˈfɛkʃən/
Letters12
Frequency rank#36,614
Misspellings tracked19
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “imperfection”

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).imperfectionlands here:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “implosion” (#36,615), “igneous” (#36,612), “incredulous” (#36,616). Among 2,140 “I” headwords, “imperfection” is #36,614. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 19 spelling variants around imperfection (IPA /ɪmpɚˈfɛkʃən/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #36,614 among 2,140 “I” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 19 likely wrong-spelling variants for imperfection, with forms such as "imeprfection", "immperfection", and "impefrection". 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. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Old French imperfeccion, see im- + perfection. The correct English form is imperfection, spelled I-M-P-E-R-F-E-C-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Those qualities or features that are imperfect; the characteristic, state, or quality of being imperfect.
  2. 2
    Something that makes something else less than perfect; a blemish, impurity, error, etc.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. You can accept your imperfection or try to improve.
  2. And for the first time she realised what it was to escape from the smallish perfection of England, into the grander imperfection of a great continent.

Etymology

From Old French imperfeccion, see im- + perfection.

Synonyms

corruptionfaultflawmarkproblemweakness

Antonyms

flawlessnessperfection

This word in other languages

imperfección(Español)imperfeição(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • imeprfection
  • immperfection
  • impefrection
  • imperefction
  • imperfcetion
  • imperfecction
  • imperfeciton
  • imperfecsion
  • imperfectino
  • imperfectionn
  • imperfectoin
  • imperfecttion
  • imperfetcion
  • imperffection
  • imperrfection
  • impperfection
  • imprefection
  • ipmerfection
  • miperfection

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

imeprfection2immperfection1impefrection2imperefction2imperfcetion2imperfecction1imperfeciton2imperfecsion1
Edit distance from "imperfection"

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 "imperfection"?
"imperfection" is spelled I-M-P-E-R-F-E-C-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪmpɚˈfɛkʃən/.
What does "imperfection" mean?
As a noun, "imperfection" means: Those qualities or features that are imperfect; the characteristic, state, or quality of being imperfect.
What are common misspellings of "imperfection"?
Common misspellings include "imeprfection", "immperfection", "impefrection", "imperefction", "imperfcetion". The correct spelling is "imperfection".
How do you pronounce "imperfection"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "imperfection" is /ɪmpɚˈfɛkʃən/. 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 "imperfection"?
From Old French imperfeccion, see im- + perfection. 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 "imperfection", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 12 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

extravagance#36,551disinfectant#36,524pathogenesis#36,704Australasian#36,441

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (19 here; floor ≥5).

encyclopaedia19 variantssupercharged19 variantsmultiplicity19 variantsparaphrasing19 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list