propose

/pɹəˈpəʊz/

//pɹəˈpəʊz// verb

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

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

The verdict

“propose” has 10 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #7,269. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#7,269
frequency rank, English
4,417
“P” headwords
10
tracked misspellings
10
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To suggest a plan, course of action, etc.

Corpus desk

Index EN-propose · propose · English

propose · rank #7,269 · 10 variants · 10 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #7,269
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 10 pairs
  • VAR-MID 10 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,417
  • PHOTO-FINISH projected

Nearest frequency peer: projected (-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 “propose”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “propose” 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).

propose vs props
71% similar
propose vs prose
71% similar
propose vs purpose
71% similar

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

Key facts for propose
PropertyValue
Headwordpropose
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/pɹəˈpəʊz/
Letters7
Frequency rank#7,269
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs10
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “propose”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).proposelands here:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “projected” (#7,268), “quarterly” (#7,270), “prohibited” (#7,267). Among 4,417 “P” headwords, “propose” is #7,269. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 10 spelling variants around propose (IPA /pɹəˈpəʊz/), averb. Corpus frequency is #7,269 among 4,417 “P” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for propose, with forms such as "porpose", "ppropose", and "proopse". 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 10 confusable-pair relationships, "props", "prose", "purpose", 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 proposen, from Anglo-Norman proposer (verb), propos (noun), Middle French proposer (verb), propos (noun), from Latin prōpōnō, prōpōnere, with conjugation altered based on poser. Doublet of propound. The correct English form is propose, spelled P-R-O-P-O-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To suggest a plan, course of action, etc.
  2. 2
    To ask for a person's hand in marriage.
  3. 3
    To intend.
  4. 4
    To talk; to converse.
  5. 5
    To set forth.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. I propose going to see a film.
  2. to propose an alliance

Etymology

From Middle English proposen, from Anglo-Norman proposer (verb), propos (noun), Middle French proposer (verb), propos (noun), from Latin prōpōnō, prōpōnere, with conjugation altered based on poser. Doublet of propound.

This word in other languages

proponer(Español)proposer(Français)vorschlagen(Deutsch)pretender(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • porpose
  • ppropose
  • proopse
  • propoes
  • proposse
  • proppose
  • propsoe
  • prpoose
  • prropose
  • rpopose

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of propose - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

porpose2ppropose1proopse2propoes2proposse1proppose1propsoe2prpoose2
Edit distance from "propose"

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 "propose"?
"propose" is spelled P-R-O-P-O-S-E. The IPA pronunciation is /pɹəˈpəʊz/.
What does "propose" mean?
As a verb, "propose" means: To suggest a plan, course of action, etc.
What words are commonly confused with "propose"?
"propose" is commonly confused with "props", "prose", "purpose". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "propose"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "propose" is /pɹəˈpəʊz/. 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 "propose"?
From Middle English proposen, from Anglo-Norman proposer (verb), propos (noun), Middle French proposer (verb), propos (noun), from Latin prōpōnō, prōpōnere, with conjugation altered based on poser. Doublet of propound. 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 "propose", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

praying#7,265pirates#7,262sailing#7,283slipped#7,286

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (10 here; floor ≥5).

successor10 variantsAbraham10 variantsarchive10 variantsevident10 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list