plead

/pliːd/

//pliːd// verb

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

"plead" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“plead” has 7 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #12,475. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#12,475
frequency rank, English
4,417
“P” headwords
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To present (an argument or a plea), especially in a legal case.

Corpus desk

Index EN-plead · plead · English

plead · rank #12,475 · 7 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #12,475
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 7 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,417
  • PHOTO-FINISH Philly

Nearest frequency peer: Philly (-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 “plead”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “plead” 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).

plead vs pled
80% similar
plead vs pleas
80% similar
plead vs plebs
60% similar

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

Key facts for plead
PropertyValue
Headwordplead
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/pliːd/
Letters5
Frequency rank#12,475
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “plead”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).pleadlands 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 “Philly” (#12,474), “podium” (#12,476), “periodic” (#12,473). Among 4,417 “P” headwords, “plead” is #12,475. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 7 spelling variants around plead (IPA /pliːd/), averb. Corpus frequency is #12,475 among 4,417 “P” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for plead, with forms such as "lpead", "pelad", and "plaed". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "pled", "pleas", "plebs", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English pleden, plaiden, from Old French plaider (“to plead, offer a plea”), from plait, from Medieval Latin placitum (“a decree, sentence, suit, plea, etc.", in Classical Latin, "an opinion, determination, prescription, order; literally, that w… The correct English form is plead, spelled P-L-E-A-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    To present (an argument or a plea), especially in a legal case.
  2. 2
    To beg, beseech, or implore, especially emotionally.
  3. 3
    To offer by way of excuse.
  4. 4
    To discuss by arguments.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. The defendant has decided to plead not guilty.
  2. O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!

Etymology

From Middle English pleden, plaiden, from Old French plaider (“to plead, offer a plea”), from plait, from Medieval Latin placitum (“a decree, sentence, suit, plea, etc.", in Classical Latin, "an opinion, determination, prescription, order; literally, that which is pleasing, pleasure”), neuter of placitus, past participle of placeō (“to please”). Cognate with Spanish pleitear (“to litigate, take to court”).

This word in other languages

declararse(Español)plaider(Français)plädieren(Deutsch)implorar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • lpead
  • pelad
  • plaed
  • pleadd
  • pleda
  • pllead
  • pplead

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

lpead2pelad2plaed2pleadd1pleda2pllead1pplead1
Edit distance from "plead"

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 "plead"?
"plead" is spelled P-L-E-A-D. The IPA pronunciation is /pliːd/.
What does "plead" mean?
As a verb, "plead" means: To present (an argument or a plea), especially in a legal case.
What words are commonly confused with "plead"?
"plead" is commonly confused with "pled", "pleas", "plebs". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "plead"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "plead" is /pliːd/. 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 "plead"?
From Middle English pleden, plaiden, from Old French plaider (“to plead, offer a plea”), from plait, from Medieval Latin placitum (“a decree, sentence, suit, plea, etc.", in Classical Latin, "an opinion, determination, prescription, order; literal... 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 "plead", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 5 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Owens#12,470nigga#12,466lyric#12,460knots#12,452

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (7 here; floor ≥5).

rigged7 variantshogan7 variantsHamas7 variantsgroom7 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list