irresolution

/ɪɹɛzəˈluːʃən/

//ɪɹɛzəˈluːʃən// noun

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

The verdict

“irresolution” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
12
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Lack of resolution; lack of decision or purpose; vacillation.

Corpus desk

Index EN-irresolution · irresolution · English

irresolution · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 12 letters
  • VOW-6 6 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "I" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

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.

Key facts for irresolution
PropertyValue
Headwordirresolution
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɪɹɛzəˈluːʃən/
Letters12
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “irresolution” in English

irresolutionsits beyond the 100,000 most-frequent English words, in the long tail of technical, archaic, or otherwise rare vocabulary where spelling doubt tends to strike hardest.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

irresolution is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ɪɹɛzəˈluːʃən/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Lack of resolution; lack of decision or purpose; vacillation.".

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for irresolution, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Probably from Middle French irresolution (modern French irrésolution), from ir- + resolution (“resolution”); compare Italian irresoluzione. By surface analysis, ir- + resolution. The correct English form is irresolution, spelled I-R-R-E-S-O-L-U-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Lack of resolution; lack of decision or purpose; vacillation.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

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

  1. Again he paced the chamber; but an involuntary movement of awe and inquietude constantly led his eye towards the alcove. He drew near it with irresolution.

Etymology

Probably from Middle French irresolution (modern French irrésolution), from ir- + resolution (“resolution”); compare Italian irresoluzione. By surface analysis, ir- + resolution.

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). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "irresolution"?
"irresolution" is spelled I-R-R-E-S-O-L-U-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪɹɛzəˈluːʃən/.
What does "irresolution" mean?
As a noun, "irresolution" means: Lack of resolution; lack of decision or purpose; vacillation.
How do you pronounce "irresolution"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "irresolution" is /ɪɹɛzəˈluːʃən/. 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 "irresolution"?
Probably from Middle French irresolution (modern French irrésolution), from ir- + resolution (“resolution”); compare Italian irresoluzione. By surface analysis, ir- + resolution. 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list