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” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #12,475 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#12,475
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To present (an argument or a plea), especially in a legal case.

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)

Where “plead” 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). plead 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 plead is 5 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /pliːd/. Corpus data places it at rank #12,475 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

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.

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.

Using “plead”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is P-L-E-A-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /pliːd/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “pled” - see the side-by-side comparison. plead vs pled
  • 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