obsolescence

/ˌɒb.səˈlɛs.əns/

//ˌɒb.səˈlɛs.əns// noun

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

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

The verdict

“obsolescence” has 19 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #43,289. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#43,289
frequency rank, English
1,431
“O” headwords
19
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The state of being obsolete—no longer in use; gone into disuse; disused or neglected.

Corpus desk

Index EN-obsolescence · obsolescence · English

obsolescence · rank #43,289 · 19 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #43,289
  • LEN-MEGA 12 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 19 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,431
  • PHOTO-FINISH obstetrician

Nearest frequency peer: obstetrician (+1 rank slots)

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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “obsolescence”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “obsolescence” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for obsolescence
PropertyValue
Headwordobsolescence
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌɒb.səˈlɛs.əns/
Letters12
Frequency rank#43,289
Misspellings tracked19
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “obsolescence”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).obsolescencelands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “obstetrician” (#43,290), “Nunez” (#43,287), “OCC” (#43,291). Among 1,431 “O” headwords, “obsolescence” is #43,289. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 19 spelling variants around obsolescence (IPA /ˌɒb.səˈlɛs.əns/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #43,289 among 1,431 “O” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 19 likely wrong-spelling variants for obsolescence, with forms such as "bosolescence", "obbsolescence", and "oboslescence". 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. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin obsolēscēns present participle of obsolēscere. The correct English form is obsolescence, spelled O-B-S-O-L-E-S-C-E-N-C-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    The state of being obsolete—no longer in use; gone into disuse; disused or neglected.
  2. 2
    The process of becoming obsolete, outmoded or out of date.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Apart from this feature the Trichoptera also differ from the typical Neuroptera in the relatively simple, mostly longitudinal neuration of the wings, the absence or obsolescence of the mandibles and the semi-haustellate nature of the rest of the mouth-parts.
  2. One way is to legislate extended warranties on products, so washing machines and refrigerators last for 30 years instead of 10. Another is to ban planned obsolescence, so manufacturers can’t create products that are designed to fail.

Etymology

From Latin obsolēscēns present participle of obsolēscere.

Synonyms

obsoletenessobsoletion

This word in other languages

obsolescencia(Español)obsolescence(Français)Obsoleszenz(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • bosolescence
  • obbsolescence
  • oboslescence
  • obsloescence
  • obsoelscence
  • obsolecsence
  • obsolescance
  • obsolesccence
  • obsolescecne
  • obsolescencce
  • obsolescenec
  • obsolescennce
  • obsolescnece
  • obsolesecnce
  • obsolesscence
  • obsollescence
  • obsolsecence
  • obssolescence
  • osbolescence

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

bosolescence2obbsolescence1oboslescence2obsloescence2obsoelscence2obsolecsence2obsolescance1obsolesccence1
Edit distance from "obsolescence"

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 "obsolescence"?
"obsolescence" is spelled O-B-S-O-L-E-S-C-E-N-C-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɒb.səˈlɛs.əns/.
What does "obsolescence" mean?
As a noun, "obsolescence" means: The state of being obsolete—no longer in use; gone into disuse; disused or neglected.
What are common misspellings of "obsolescence"?
Common misspellings include "bosolescence", "obbsolescence", "oboslescence", "obsloescence", "obsoelscence". The correct spelling is "obsolescence".
How do you pronounce "obsolescence"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "obsolescence" is /ˌɒb.səˈlɛs.əns/. 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 "obsolescence"?
From Latin obsolēscēns present participle of obsolēscere. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "obsolescence", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 12 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

obstetrician#43,290particulates#43,303rhythmically#43,348hypothalamus#43,198

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (19 here; floor ≥5).

neuromuscular19 variantsextrajudicial19 variantsendangerment19 variantsunadulterated19 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list