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” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #22,705 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#22,705
frequency rank, English
10
letters
15
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act of imposing, laying on, affixing, enjoining, inflicting, obtruding, and the like.

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)

Where “imposition” 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). imposition 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 imposition is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌɪm.pəˈzɪʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #22,705 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

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.

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.

Using “imposition”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is I-M-P-O-S-I-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌɪm.pəˈzɪʃən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • 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