inconsistency

/ˌɪnkənˈsɪst(ə)nsi/

//ˌɪnkənˈsɪst(ə)nsi// noun

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

"inconsistency" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“inconsistency” has 21 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #21,547. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#21,547
frequency rank, English
2,140
“I” headwords
21
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The state of being inconsistent.

Corpus desk

Index EN-inconsistency · inconsistency · English

inconsistency · rank #21,547 · 21 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #21,547
  • LEN-MEGA 13 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 21 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,140
  • PHOTO-FINISH implicitly

Nearest frequency peer: implicitly (-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 “inconsistency”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “inconsistency” 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).

inconsistency vs inconsistent
85% similar

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

Key facts for inconsistency
PropertyValue
Headwordinconsistency
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌɪnkənˈsɪst(ə)nsi/
Letters13
Frequency rank#21,547
Misspellings tracked21
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “inconsistency”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).inconsistencylands 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 “implicitly” (#21,546), “ingenuity” (#21,548), “IMDb” (#21,544). Among 2,140 “I” headwords, “inconsistency” is #21,547. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 21 spelling variants around inconsistency (IPA /ˌɪnkənˈsɪst(ə)nsi/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #21,547 among 2,140 “I” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 21 likely wrong-spelling variants for inconsistency, with forms such as "icnonsistency", "incconsistency", and "incnosistency". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "inconsistent", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Our source data has no etymology on file for this entry, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct English form is inconsistency, spelled I-N-C-O-N-S-I-S-T-E-N-C-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    The state of being inconsistent.
  2. 2
    An incompatibility between two propositions that cannot both be true.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

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

  1. It was a strange inconsistency, but never till then had I been so much struck with the worthless and frivolous life of society. Never till then did I feel the deep and eternal debt of gratitude that human nature owes to those who assert its higher influence; who feel their generous activity stirred by a thrice noble emulation; who appeal from the present…

Synonyms

contrarietydeviationdifferencedisagreementdisparitydisproportiondisproportionatenessdissimilaritydissonancedivergenceincongruityinconsonanceinequalityparadoxunlikenessvariance

Antonyms

consistency

This word in other languages

inconsistencia(Español)inconsistance(Français)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • icnonsistency
  • incconsistency
  • incnosistency
  • inconisstency
  • inconnsistency
  • inconsisetncy
  • inconsisstency
  • inconsistecny
  • inconsistenccy
  • inconsistencyy
  • inconsistenncy
  • inconsistenyc
  • inconsistnecy
  • inconsisttency
  • inconsitsency
  • inconssistency
  • inconssitency
  • incosnistency
  • innconsistency
  • inocnsistency
  • niconsistency

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of inconsistency - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

icnonsistency2incconsistency1incnosistency2inconisstency2inconnsistency1inconsisetncy2inconsisstency1inconsistecny2
Edit distance from "inconsistency"

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 "inconsistency"?
"inconsistency" is spelled I-N-C-O-N-S-I-S-T-E-N-C-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɪnkənˈsɪst(ə)nsi/.
What does "inconsistency" mean?
As a noun, "inconsistency" means: The state of being inconsistent.
What words are commonly confused with "inconsistency"?
"inconsistency" is commonly confused with "inconsistent". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "inconsistency"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "inconsistency" is /ˌɪnkənˈsɪst(ə)nsi/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "inconsistency" come from?
"inconsistency" is a English word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
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 "inconsistency", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 13 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

gubernatorial#21,531fragmentation#21,521commemorative#21,474accompaniment#21,714

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (21 here; floor ≥5).

motherfucking21 variantsmisconception21 variantsgeneralization21 variantsinstinctively21 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list