imposition

/ˌɪm.pəˈzɪʃən/

//ˌɪm.pəˈzɪʃən// noun

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

"imposition" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“imposition” has 15 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #22,705. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#22,705
frequency rank, English
2,140
“I” headwords
15
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The act of imposing, laying on, affixing, enjoining, inflicting, obtruding, and the like.

Corpus desk

Index EN-imposition · imposition · English

imposition · rank #22,705 · 15 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #22,705
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 15 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,140
  • PHOTO-FINISH impromptu

Nearest frequency peer: impromptu (+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 “imposition”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “imposition” 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 imposition
PropertyValue
Headwordimposition
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌɪm.pəˈzɪʃən/
Letters10
Frequency rank#22,705
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “imposition”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).impositionlands 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 “impromptu” (#22,706), “indulgence” (#22,707), “hounds” (#22,702). Among 2,140 “I” headwords, “imposition” is #22,705. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 15 spelling variants around imposition (IPA /ˌɪm.pəˈzɪʃən/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #22,705 among 2,140 “I” headwords. Wiktionary lists 7 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for imposition, with forms such as "immposition", "imopsition", and "impoistion". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English imposicioun, from Old French imposicion, from Latin impositio. The correct English form is imposition, spelled I-M-P-O-S-I-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act of imposing, laying on, affixing, enjoining, inflicting, obtruding, and the like.
  2. 2
    An unwelcome burden, presence, or obligation.
  3. 3
    That which is imposed, levied, or enjoined.
  4. 4
    A trick or deception put or laid on others.
  5. 5
    Arrangement of a printed product’s pages on the printer's sheet so as to have the pages in proper order in the final product.
  6. 6
    A practice of laying hands on a person in a religious ceremony; used e.g. in confirmation and ordination.
  7. 7
    A task imposed on a student as punishment.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. They gathered soberly in the farthest recess of the ward and gossiped about him in malicious, offended undertones, rebelling against his presence as a ghastly imposition and resenting him malevolently for the nauseating truth of which he was bright reminder.
  2. He expunges his own anguish at his diagnosis with HIV and the impositions that have claimed his freedom.

Etymology

From Middle English imposicioun, from Old French imposicion, from Latin impositio.

Synonyms

imposureinflictionobtrusionburdenchargeenjoinderinjunctiontaxcheatingdeceptiondelusionfraudimposturetrick

This word in other languages

imposición(Español)Zumutung(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • immposition
  • imopsition
  • impoistion
  • imposiiton
  • imposision
  • impositino
  • impositionn
  • impositoin
  • imposittion
  • impossition
  • impostiion
  • impposition
  • impsoition
  • ipmosition
  • miposition

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

immposition1imopsition2impoistion2imposiiton2imposision1impositino2impositionn1impositoin2
Edit distance from "imposition"

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 "imposition"?
"imposition" is spelled I-M-P-O-S-I-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɪm.pəˈzɪʃən/.
What does "imposition" mean?
As a noun, "imposition" means: The act of imposing, laying on, affixing, enjoining, inflicting, obtruding, and the like.
What are common misspellings of "imposition"?
Common misspellings include "immposition", "imopsition", "impoistion", "imposiiton", "imposision". The correct spelling is "imposition".
How do you pronounce "imposition"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "imposition" is /ˌɪm.pəˈzɪʃən/. 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 "imposition"?
From Middle English imposicioun, from Old French imposicion, from Latin impositio. 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 "imposition", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

indulgence#22,707Harrisburg#22,699groundwork#22,696glittering#22,690

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (15 here; floor ≥5).

counteract15 variantschandelier15 variantssprawling15 variantsunqualified15 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list