molding

/ˈməʊl.dɪŋ/

//ˈməʊl.dɪŋ// noun

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

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

The verdict

“molding” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #22,743 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#22,743
frequency rank, English
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
16
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act or process of shaping in or on a mold, or of making molds; the art or occupation of a molder.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

molding vs moving
71% similar
molding vs mowing
71% similar
molding vs Molina
57% similar

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

Key facts for molding
PropertyValue
Headwordmolding
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈməʊl.dɪŋ/
Letters7
Frequency rank#22,743
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs16
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “molding” 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). molding 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 molding is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈməʊl.dɪŋ/. Corpus data places it at rank #22,743 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for molding, with forms such as "mloding", "mmolding", and "modling". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 16 confusable-pair relationships, "moving", "mowing", "Molina", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English moldyng; equivalent to mold + -ing. The correct English form is molding, spelled M-O-L-D-I-N-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act or process of shaping in or on a mold, or of making molds; the art or occupation of a molder.
  2. 2
    Anything cast in a mold, or which appears to be so, as grooved or ornamental bars of wood or metal.
  3. 3
    A plane, or curved, narrow surface, either sunk or projecting, used for decoration by means of the lights and shades upon its surface and to conceal joints, especially between unlike materials.
  4. 4
    A planing machine for making moldings.
  5. 5
    A machine to assist in making molds for castings.
  6. 6
    A mill for shaping timber.
  7. 7
    A kind of sand containing clay, used in making molds.

Etymology

From Middle English moldyng; equivalent to mold + -ing.

This word in other languages

moldeado(Español)moulage(Français)Abformen(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: mloding,mmolding,modling,moldding,moldign,moldingg,moldinng,moldnig,molidng,mollding,omlding

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of molding - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

mloding2mmolding1modling2moldding1moldign2moldingg1moldinng1moldnig2
Edit distance from "molding"

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 "molding"?
"molding" is spelled M-O-L-D-I-N-G. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈməʊl.dɪŋ/.
What does "molding" mean?
As a noun, "molding" means: The act or process of shaping in or on a mold, or of making molds; the art or occupation of a molder.
What words are commonly confused with "molding"?
"molding" is commonly confused with "moving", "mowing", "Molina". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "molding"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "molding" is /ˈməʊl.dɪŋ/. 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 "molding"?
From Middle English moldyng; equivalent to mold + -ing. 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 “molding”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is M-O-L-D-I-N-G - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈməʊl.dɪŋ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “moving” - see the side-by-side comparison. molding vs moving
  • 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