overload

/ˌəʊvəˈləʊd/

//ˌəʊvəˈləʊd// verb

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

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

The verdict

“overload” has 11 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #15,018. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#15,018
frequency rank, English
1,431
“O” headwords
11
tracked misspellings
10
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To load excessively.

Corpus desk

Index EN-overload · overload · English

overload · rank #15,018 · 11 variants · 10 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #15,018
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 10 pairs
  • VAR-MID 11 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,431
  • PHOTO-FINISH overdue

Nearest frequency peer: overdue (-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 “overload”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “overload” 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

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

overload vs overlook
75% similar
overload vs overlord
88% similar
overload vs overloaded
80% similar

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

Key facts for overload
PropertyValue
Headwordoverload
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˌəʊvəˈləʊd/
Letters8
Frequency rank#15,018
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs10
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “overload”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).overloadlands here:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “overdue” (#15,017), “outing” (#15,016), “payable” (#15,020). Among 1,431 “O” headwords, “overload” is #15,018. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 11 spelling variants around overload (IPA /ˌəʊvəˈləʊd/), averb. Corpus frequency is #15,018 among 1,431 “O” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for overload, with forms such as "oevrload", "ovelroad", and "overlaod". 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 10 confusable-pair relationships, "overlook", "overlord", "overloaded", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From over- + load. The correct English form is overload, spelled O-V-E-R-L-O-A-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    To load excessively.
  2. 2
    To provide too much power to a circuit.
  3. 3
    To create different functions for the same name, to be used in different contexts.
  4. 4
    To fail due to excessive load.

Etymology

From over- + load.

This word in other languages

sobrecargar(Español)surcharger(Français)überladen(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • oevrload
  • ovelroad
  • overlaod
  • overlload
  • overloadd
  • overloda
  • overolad
  • overrload
  • ovreload
  • ovverload
  • voerload

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of overload - 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.

oevrload2ovelroad2overlaod2overlload1overloadd1overloda2overolad2overrload1
Edit distance from "overload"

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 "overload"?
"overload" is spelled O-V-E-R-L-O-A-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌəʊvəˈləʊd/.
What does "overload" mean?
As a verb, "overload" means: To load excessively.
What words are commonly confused with "overload"?
"overload" is commonly confused with "overlook", "overlord", "overloaded". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "overload"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "overload" is /ˌəʊvəˈləʊd/. 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 "overload"?
From over- + load. 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 "overload", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

organise#15,015paycheck#15,021objected#15,013nuisance#15,011

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (11 here; floor ≥5).

payable11 variantslonging11 variantskangaroo11 variantsjackpot11 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list