inclination

/ˌɪn.klɪˈneɪ.ʃən/

//ˌɪn.klɪˈneɪ.ʃən// noun

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

"inclination" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“inclination” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #17,863 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#17,863
frequency rank, English
11
letters
17
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A physical tilt or bend.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

inclination vs incarnation
82% similar

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

Key facts for inclination
PropertyValue
Headwordinclination
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌɪn.klɪˈneɪ.ʃən/
Letters11
Frequency rank#17,863
Misspellings tracked17
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “inclination” 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). inclination 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 inclination is 11 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌɪn.klɪˈneɪ.ʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #17,863 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for inclination, with forms such as "icnlination", "incclination", and "incilnation". 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, "incarnation", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English inclinacioun, inclinacyon, from Old French inclination and Latin inclīnātiō. Morphologically incline + -ation. The correct English form is inclination, spelled I-N-C-L-I-N-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A physical tilt or bend.
  2. 2
    A slant or slope.
  3. 3
    A tendency.
  4. 4
    The angle of intersection of a reference plane.
  5. 5
    A person or thing loved or admired.

Etymology

From Middle English inclinacioun, inclinacyon, from Old French inclination and Latin inclīnātiō. Morphologically incline + -ation.

Synonyms

inclineincliningsteepnessleaningproclivitypropensity

This word in other languages

inclination(Français)Neigung(Deutsch)inclinação(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: icnlination,incclination,incilnation,incliantion,inclinaiton,inclinasion,inclinatino,inclinationn,inclinatoin,inclinattion,inclinnation,inclintaion,incllination,inclniation,inlcination,innclination,niclination

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

icnlination2incclination1incilnation2incliantion2inclinaiton2inclinasion1inclinatino2inclinationn1
Edit distance from "inclination"

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 "inclination"?
"inclination" is spelled I-N-C-L-I-N-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɪn.klɪˈneɪ.ʃən/.
What does "inclination" mean?
As a noun, "inclination" means: A physical tilt or bend.
What words are commonly confused with "inclination"?
"inclination" is commonly confused with "incarnation". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "inclination"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "inclination" is /ˌɪn.klɪˈneɪ.ʃən/. 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 "inclination"?
From Middle English inclinacioun, inclinacyon, from Old French inclination and Latin inclīnātiō. Morphologically incline + -ation. 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 “inclination”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is I-N-C-L-I-N-A-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌɪn.klɪˈneɪ.ʃən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “incarnation” - see the side-by-side comparison. inclination vs incarnation
  • 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