instate

/ɪnˈsteɪt/

//ɪnˈsteɪt// verb

"instate" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“instate” is an uncommon English word, ranked #86,384 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#86,384
frequency rank, English
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To install (someone) in office; to establish.

Key facts for instate
PropertyValue
Headwordinstate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪnˈsteɪt/
Letters7
Frequency rank#86,384
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “instate” 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). instate 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 instate is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪnˈsteɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #86,384 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "To install (someone) in office; to establish.".

No misspelling variants are generated for instate in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: From in- + state (noun). The correct English form is instate, spelled I-N-S-T-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To install (someone) in office; to establish.

Etymology

From in- + state (noun).

This word in other languages

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 "instate"?
"instate" is spelled I-N-S-T-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪnˈsteɪt/.
What does "instate" mean?
As a verb, "instate" means: To install (someone) in office; to establish.
How do you pronounce "instate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "instate" is /ɪnˈsteɪt/. 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 "instate"?
From in- + state (noun). 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 “instate”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is I-N-S-T-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪnˈsteɪt/ (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