paradox
/ˈpæ.ɹəˌdɒks/
"paradox" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“paradox” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #12,471 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #12,471
- frequency rank, English
- 7
- letters
- 10
- tracked misspellings
- 6
- confusable pairs
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An apparently self-contradictory statement, which can only be true if it is false, and vice versa.
Visual similarity to commonly confused words
How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).
Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | paradox |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˈpæ.ɹəˌdɒks/ |
| Letters | 7 |
| Frequency rank | #12,471 |
| Misspellings tracked | 10 |
| Confusable pairs | 6 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “paradox” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for paradox is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈpæ.ɹəˌdɒks/. Corpus data places it at rank #12,471 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 10 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 paradox, with forms such as "apradox", "paardox", and "paraddox". 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 6 confusable-pair relationships, "Prado", "pardon", "paragon", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French paradoxe, from Latin paradoxum, from Ancient Greek παράδοξος (parádoxos, “unexpected, strange”). The correct English form is paradox, spelled P-A-R-A-D-O-X.
Definition
- 1An apparently self-contradictory statement, which can only be true if it is false, and vice versa.
- 2A counterintuitive conclusion or outcome.
- 3A claim that two apparently contradictory ideas are true.
- 4A thing involving contradictory yet interrelated elements that exist simultaneously and persist over time.
- 5A person or thing having contradictory properties.
- 6An unanswerable question or difficult puzzle, particularly one which leads to a deeper truth.
- 7A statement which is difficult to believe, or which goes against general belief.
- 8The use of counterintuitive or contradictory statements (paradoxes) in speech or writing.
- 9A state in which one is logically compelled to contradict oneself.
- 10The practice of giving instructions that are opposed to the therapist's actual intent, with the intention that the client will disobey or be unable to obey.
Etymology
From Middle French paradoxe, from Latin paradoxum, from Ancient Greek παράδοξος (parádoxos, “unexpected, strange”).
Synonyms
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: apradox,paardox,paraddox,paradoxx,paradxo,paraodx,pardaox,parradox,pparadox,praadox
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of paradox - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.
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
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Using “paradox”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is P-A-R-A-D-O-X - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈpæ.ɹəˌdɒks/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Don't mix it up with “Prado” - see the side-by-side comparison. paradox vs Prado
- 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.