implicate

/ˈɪmplɪkeɪt/

//ˈɪmplɪkeɪt// verb

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

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

The verdict

“implicate” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #35,350. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#35,350
frequency rank, English
2,140
“I” headwords
13
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To show to be connected or involved in an unfavorable or criminal way.

Corpus desk

Index EN-implicate · implicate · English

implicate · rank #35,350 · 13 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #35,350
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 13 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,140
  • PHOTO-FINISH implore

Nearest frequency peer: implore (+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 “implicate”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “implicate” 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).

implicate vs implicit
78% similar

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

Key facts for implicate
PropertyValue
Headwordimplicate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈɪmplɪkeɪt/
Letters9
Frequency rank#35,350
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “implicate”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).implicatelands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “implore” (#35,351), “Iberian” (#35,347), “indigestion” (#35,353). Among 2,140 “I” headwords, “implicate” is #35,350. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around implicate (IPA /ˈɪmplɪkeɪt/), averb. Corpus frequency is #35,350 among 2,140 “I” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for implicate, with forms such as "imlpicate", "immplicate", and "impilcate". 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 1 confusable-pair relationship, "implicit", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: First attested in the 15th century, in Middle English; inherited from Middle English implicaten (poorly attested), from implicat(e) (“wrapped, entwined; involved, connected (with)”, possibly also used as the past participle of implicaten) + -en (verb-formin… The correct English form is implicate, spelled I-M-P-L-I-C-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To show to be connected or involved in an unfavorable or criminal way.
  2. 2
    To imply, to have as a necessary consequence or accompaniment.
  3. 3
    To imply without entailing; to have as an implicature.
  4. 4
    To fold or twist together, intertwine, interlace, entangle, entwine.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. The evidence implicates involvement of top management in the scheme.
  2. But it is of no use talking now; the servants will soon be stirring, and it would be rather awkward to be found here." "For you, perhaps, madam," sneered Sir George. "Rather for yourself," replied she, with the greatest composure; "you might be implicated in the charge of murder."

Etymology

First attested in the 15th century, in Middle English; inherited from Middle English implicaten (poorly attested), from implicat(e) (“wrapped, entwined; involved, connected (with)”, possibly also used as the past participle of implicaten) + -en (verb-forming suffix), borrowed from Latin implicātus, perfect passive participle of implicō (“to entangle, involve”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from plicō (“to fold”). Doublet of imply and employ.

This word in other languages

implicar(Español)impliquer(Français)implicar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • imlpicate
  • immplicate
  • impilcate
  • implciate
  • impliacte
  • implicaet
  • implicatte
  • impliccate
  • implictae
  • impllicate
  • impplicate
  • ipmlicate
  • miplicate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of implicate - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

imlpicate2immplicate1impilcate2implciate2impliacte2implicaet2implicatte1impliccate1
Edit distance from "implicate"

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 "implicate"?
"implicate" is spelled I-M-P-L-I-C-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɪmplɪkeɪt/.
What does "implicate" mean?
As a verb, "implicate" means: To show to be connected or involved in an unfavorable or criminal way.
What words are commonly confused with "implicate"?
"implicate" is commonly confused with "implicit". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "implicate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "implicate" is /ˈɪmplɪkeɪt/. 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 "implicate"?
First attested in the 15th century, in Middle English; inherited from Middle English implicaten (poorly attested), from implicat(e) (“wrapped, entwined; involved, connected (with)”, possibly also used as the past participle of implicaten) + -en (v... 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 "implicate", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

inversely#35,363lactation#35,381exchanger#35,285Nantucket#35,420

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (13 here; floor ≥5).

lyricist13 variantsFlaherty13 variantsmethinks13 variantsMontessori13 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list