indifference

/ɪnˈdɪf.ɹəns/

//ɪnˈdɪf.ɹəns// noun

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

"indifference" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“indifference” has 17 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #18,586. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#18,586
frequency rank, English
2,140
“I” headwords
17
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

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

Corpus desk

Index EN-indifference · indifference · English

indifference · rank #18,586 · 17 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #18,586
  • LEN-MEGA 12 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 17 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,140
  • PHOTO-FINISH IK

Nearest frequency peer: IK (-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 “indifference”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “indifference” 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).

indifference vs indifferent
83% similar

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

Key facts for indifference
PropertyValue
Headwordindifference
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɪnˈdɪf.ɹəns/
Letters12
Frequency rank#18,586
Misspellings tracked17
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “indifference”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).indifferencelands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “IK” (#18,585), “indispensable” (#18,587), “infirmary” (#18,588). Among 2,140 “I” headwords, “indifference” is #18,586. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 17 spelling variants around indifference (IPA /ɪnˈdɪf.ɹəns/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #18,586 among 2,140 “I” headwords. Wiktionary lists 6 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 17 likely wrong-spelling variants for indifference, with forms such as "idnifference", "inddifference", and "indfiference". 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, "indifferent", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French indifférence, from Late Latin indifferentia. By surface analysis, in- + difference. The correct English form is indifference, spelled I-N-D-I-F-F-E-R-E-N-C-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    The state of being indifferent.
  2. 2
    Unbiased impartiality.
  3. 3
    Unemotional apathy.
  4. 4
    A lack of enthusiasm.
  5. 5
    Unconcerned nonchalance.
  6. 6
    Self-identity defined through the negation of difference, non-difference.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. "I do not care for them; I would not have them now," cried Lady Penrhyn; "it is only your affection I care for. Do not suppose, for a moment, that I wish for the tables when you do not: oh, no! my only concern was for your indifference. But I am content if you tell me I was mistaken."
  2. His daughter's indifference towards the sexist group made him wonder if she felt no empathy for the bullied.

Etymology

From Middle French indifférence, from Late Latin indifferentia. By surface analysis, in- + difference.

This word in other languages

indiferencia(Español)indifférence(Français)Gleichgültigkeit(Deutsch)indiferença(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • idnifference
  • inddifference
  • indfiference
  • indifefrence
  • indiference
  • indiffeernce
  • indifferance
  • indifferecne
  • indifferencce
  • indifferenec
  • indifferennce
  • indiffernece
  • indifferrence
  • indiffreence
  • inidfference
  • inndifference
  • nidifference

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

idnifference2inddifference1indfiference2indifefrence2indiference1indiffeernce2indifferance1indifferecne2
Edit distance from "indifference"

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 "indifference"?
"indifference" is spelled I-N-D-I-F-F-E-R-E-N-C-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪnˈdɪf.ɹəns/.
What does "indifference" mean?
As a noun, "indifference" means: The state of being indifferent.
What words are commonly confused with "indifference"?
"indifference" is commonly confused with "indifferent". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "indifference"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "indifference" is /ɪnˈdɪf.ɹəns/. 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 "indifference"?
From Middle French indifférence, from Late Latin indifferentia. By surface analysis, in- + difference. 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 "indifference", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 12 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

interstellar#18,594marginalized#18,619perseverance#18,650advantageous#18,748

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (17 here; floor ≥5).

involuntary17 variantsMaharashtra17 variantsdevastation17 variantscalibration17 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list