present

/ˈpɹɛz.ənt/

//ˈpɹɛz.ənt// adj

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

"present" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“present” is in the everyday core of English, ranked #680 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#680
frequency rank, English
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
15
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Relating to now, for the time being; current.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

present vs preset
86% similar
present vs prevent
86% similar
present vs pretend
71% similar

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

Key facts for present
PropertyValue
Headwordpresent
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈpɹɛz.ənt/
Letters7
Frequency rank#680
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs15
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “present” 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). present 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 present is 7 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈpɹɛz.ənt/. Corpus data places it at rank #680 in overall English word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for present, with forms such as "persent", "ppresent", and "preesnt". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 15 confusable-pair relationships, "preset", "prevent", "pretend", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English present, from Old French present, from Latin praesent-, praesens, present participle of praeesse (“to be present”), from Latin prae- (“pre-”) + esse (“to be”). The correct English form is present, spelled P-R-E-S-E-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Relating to now, for the time being; current.
  2. 2
    Located in the immediate vicinity.
  3. 3
    Having an immediate effect (of a medicine, poison etc.); fast-acting.
  4. 4
    Not delayed; immediate; instant.
  5. 5
    Ready; quick in emergency.
  6. 6
    Favorably attentive; propitious.
  7. 7
    Relating to something a person is referring to in the very context, with a deictic use similar to the demonstrative adjective this.
  8. 8
    Attentive; alert; focused.
  9. 9
    Neither for or against (used in voting to express abstention)

Etymology

From Middle English present, from Old French present, from Latin praesent-, praesens, present participle of praeesse (“to be present”), from Latin prae- (“pre-”) + esse (“to be”).

Synonyms

currentclosenearbynearpresentaneousinstantaneousinstantaneousaudientheedfulreckfulcontemporaryhodiernmodernpresentpresent-day

Antonyms

antonym(s) ofabsentslow-actingdelayeddelayeddistractedinattentivefuturepast

This word in other languages

presente(Español)présent(Français)gegenwärtig(Deutsch)presente(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: persent,ppresent,preesnt,presennt,presentt,presetn,presnet,pressent,prresent,prseent,rpesent

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

persent2ppresent1preesnt2presennt1presentt1presetn2presnet2pressent1
Edit distance from "present"

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 "present"?
"present" is spelled P-R-E-S-E-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpɹɛz.ənt/.
What does "present" mean?
As an adjective, "present" means: Relating to now, for the time being; current.
What words are commonly confused with "present"?
"present" is commonly confused with "preset", "prevent", "pretend". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "present"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "present" is /ˈpɹɛz.ənt/. 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 "present"?
From Middle English present, from Old French present, from Latin praesent-, praesens, present participle of praeesse (“to be present”), from Latin prae- (“pre-”) + esse (“to be”). 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 “present”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is P-R-E-S-E-N-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈpɹɛz.ənt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “preset” - see the side-by-side comparison. present vs preset
  • 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