lazy

/ˈleɪzi/

//ˈleɪzi// adj

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

"lazy" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“lazy” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #4,773 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#4,773
frequency rank, English
4
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Unwilling to do work or make an effort; disinclined to exertion.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

lazy vs LZ
0% similar
lazy vs Liz
25% similar
lazy vs luz
50% similar

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

Key facts for lazy
PropertyValue
Headwordlazy
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈleɪzi/
Letters4
Frequency rank#4,773
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “lazy” 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). lazy 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 lazy is 4 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈleɪzi/. Corpus data places it at rank #4,773 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for lazy, with forms such as "alzy", "layz", and "lazyy". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "LZ", "Liz", "luz", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Attested since 1540, origin uncertain. Probably from Low German and Middle Low German lasich (“slack, feeble, lazy”), from las, from Old Saxon lask, from Proto-Germanic *lasiwaz, *laskaz (“feeble, weak”), from Proto-Indo-European *las- (“weak”). Akin to Dut… The correct English form is lazy, spelled L-A-Z-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Unwilling to do work or make an effort; disinclined to exertion.
  2. 2
    Causing or characterised by idleness; relaxed or leisurely.
  3. 3
    Showing a lack of effort or care.
  4. 4
    Sluggish; slow-moving.
  5. 5
    Lax:
  6. 6
    Lax:
  7. 7
    Turned so that (the letter) is horizontal instead of vertical.
  8. 8
    Employing lazy evaluation; not calculating results until they are immediately required.
  9. 9
    Wicked; vicious.

Etymology

Attested since 1540, origin uncertain. Probably from Low German and Middle Low German lasich (“slack, feeble, lazy”), from las, from Old Saxon lask, from Proto-Germanic *lasiwaz, *laskaz (“feeble, weak”), from Proto-Indo-European *las- (“weak”). Akin to Dutch leuzig (“lazy”), Old Norse lasinn (“limpy, tired, weak”), Old English lesu, lysu (“false, evil, base”). More at lush. An alternative etymology traces lazy to Early Modern English laysy, a derivative of lay (plural lays + -y) in the same way that tipsy is derived from tip. See lay.

Synonyms

bone-idleidleindolentslothfulwork-shylazyfainéantinertlackadaisicallithersluggishsweartorpid

Antonyms

activediligentindustrious

This word in other languages

perezoso(Español)paresseux(Français)faul(Deutsch)preguiçoso(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: alzy,layz,lazyy,lazzy,llazy,lzay

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

alzy2layz2lazyy1lazzy1llazy1lzay2
Edit distance from "lazy"

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 "lazy"?
"lazy" is spelled L-A-Z-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈleɪzi/.
What does "lazy" mean?
As an adjective, "lazy" means: Unwilling to do work or make an effort; disinclined to exertion.
What words are commonly confused with "lazy"?
"lazy" is commonly confused with "LZ", "Liz", "luz". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "lazy"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lazy" is /ˈleɪzi/. 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 "lazy"?
Attested since 1540, origin uncertain. Probably from Low German and Middle Low German lasich (“slack, feeble, lazy”), from las, from Old Saxon lask, from Proto-Germanic *lasiwaz, *laskaz (“feeble, weak”), from Proto-Indo-European *las- (“weak”). A... 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 “lazy”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is L-A-Z-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈleɪzi/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “LZ” - see the side-by-side comparison. lazy vs LZ
  • 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