reach

/ɹiːt͡ʃ/

//ɹiːt͡ʃ// verb

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

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

The verdict

“reach” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,233 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#1,233
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To extend, stretch, or thrust out (for example a limb or object held in the hand).

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

reach vs rec
60% similar
reach vs real
60% similar
reach vs read
60% similar

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

Key facts for reach
PropertyValue
Headwordreach
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɹiːt͡ʃ/
Letters5
Frequency rank#1,233
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “reach” 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). reach 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 reach is 5 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɹiːt͡ʃ/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,233 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 17 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 reach, with forms such as "erach", "raech", and "reacch". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "rec", "real", "read", 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 rechen, from Old English rǣċan (“to reach”), from Proto-West Germanic *raikijan, from Proto-Germanic *raikijaną, from the Proto-Indo-European *Hreyǵ- (“to bind, reach”). The correct English form is reach, spelled R-E-A-C-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    To extend, stretch, or thrust out (for example a limb or object held in the hand).
  2. 2
    To give to someone by stretching out a limb, especially the hand; to give with the hand; to pass to another person; to hand over.
  3. 3
    To stretch out the hand.
  4. 4
    To attain or obtain by stretching forth the hand; to extend some part of the body, or something held, so as to touch, strike, grasp, etc.
  5. 5
    To strike or touch.
  6. 6
    To extend an action, effort, or influence to; to penetrate to; to pierce, or cut.
  7. 7
    To extend to; to stretch out as far as; to touch by virtue of extent.
  8. 8
    To arrive at (a place) by effort of any kind.
  9. 9
    To make contact with.
  10. 10
    To connect with (someone) on an emotional level, making them receptive of (one); to get through to (someone).
  11. 11
    To arrive at a particular destination.
  12. 12
    To continue living until or up to (a certain age).
  13. 13
    To understand; to comprehend.
  14. 14
    To strain after something; to make (sometimes futile or pretentious) efforts.
  15. 15
    To extend in dimension, time etc.; to stretch out continuously (past, beyond, above, from etc. something).
  16. 16
    To sail on the wind, as from one point of tacking to another, or with the wind nearly abeam.
  17. 17
    To arrive at a particular destination, especially to join someone; to meet up.

Etymology

From Middle English rechen, from Old English rǣċan (“to reach”), from Proto-West Germanic *raikijan, from Proto-Germanic *raikijaną, from the Proto-Indo-European *Hreyǵ- (“to bind, reach”).

This word in other languages

llegar(Español)atteindre(Français)erreichen(Deutsch)chegar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: erach,raech,reacch,reachh,reahc,recah,rreach

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of reach - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

erach2raech2reacch1reachh1reahc2recah2rreach1
Edit distance from "reach"

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 "reach"?
"reach" is spelled R-E-A-C-H. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹiːt͡ʃ/.
What does "reach" mean?
As a verb, "reach" means: To extend, stretch, or thrust out (for example a limb or object held in the hand).
What words are commonly confused with "reach"?
"reach" is commonly confused with "rec", "real", "read". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "reach"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "reach" is /ɹiːt͡ʃ/. 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 "reach"?
From Middle English rechen, from Old English rǣċan (“to reach”), from Proto-West Germanic *raikijan, from Proto-Germanic *raikijaną, from the Proto-Indo-European *Hreyǵ- (“to bind, reach”). 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 “reach”

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

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