lifeless

/ˈlaɪfləs/

//ˈlaɪfləs// adj

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

"lifeless" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“lifeless” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #21,564 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#21,564
frequency rank, English
8
letters
10
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - inanimate; having no life

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

lifeless vs likeness
75% similar
lifeless vs loveless
75% similar

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

Key facts for lifeless
PropertyValue
Headwordlifeless
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈlaɪfləs/
Letters8
Frequency rank#21,564
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “lifeless” 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). lifeless 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 lifeless is 8 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈlaɪfləs/. Corpus data places it at rank #21,564 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for lifeless, with forms such as "ilfeless", "lfieless", and "liefless". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "likeness", "loveless", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English lyfles, lifles, from Old English līflēas (“lifeless”), equivalent to life + -less. Cognate with West Frisian libbensleas (“lifeless”), Dutch levenloos (“lifeless”), German leblos (“lifeless”), Danish livløs (“lifeless”), Swedish livlös (… The correct English form is lifeless, spelled L-I-F-E-L-E-S-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    inanimate; having no life
  2. 2
    dead; having lost life
  3. 3
    uninhabited, or incapable of supporting life
  4. 4
    dull or lacking vitality

Etymology

From Middle English lyfles, lifles, from Old English līflēas (“lifeless”), equivalent to life + -less. Cognate with West Frisian libbensleas (“lifeless”), Dutch levenloos (“lifeless”), German leblos (“lifeless”), Danish livløs (“lifeless”), Swedish livlös (“lifeless”), Icelandic líflaus (“lifeless”).

This word in other languages

exánime(Español)sans vie(Français)leblos(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ilfeless,lfieless,liefless,lifeelss,lifeles,lifelless,lifelses,liffeless,lifleess,llifeless

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ilfeless2lfieless2liefless2lifeelss2lifeles1lifelless1lifelses2liffeless1
Edit distance from "lifeless"

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 "lifeless"?
"lifeless" is spelled L-I-F-E-L-E-S-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlaɪfləs/.
What does "lifeless" mean?
As an adjective, "lifeless" means: inanimate; having no life
What words are commonly confused with "lifeless"?
"lifeless" is commonly confused with "likeness", "loveless". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "lifeless"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lifeless" is /ˈlaɪfləs/. 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 "lifeless"?
From Middle English lyfles, lifles, from Old English līflēas (“lifeless”), equivalent to life + -less. Cognate with West Frisian libbensleas (“lifeless”), Dutch levenloos (“lifeless”), German leblos (“lifeless”), Danish livløs (“lifeless”), Swedis... 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 “lifeless”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is L-I-F-E-L-E-S-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈlaɪfləs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “likeness” - see the side-by-side comparison. lifeless vs likeness
  • 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