read

/ɹiːd/

//ɹiːd// verb

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

"read" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“read” has 5 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #266. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#266
frequency rank, English
21,470
“R” headwords
5
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To look at and interpret letters or other information that is written.

Corpus desk

Index EN-read · read · English

read · rank #266 · 5 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-CORE #266
  • LEN-MID 4 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 5 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 21,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH point

Nearest frequency peer: point (-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.

Frequency neighbourhood for “read”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “read” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of May 6, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

read vs red
75% similar
read vs rid
50% similar
read vs rep
50% similar

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

Key facts for read
PropertyValue
Headwordread
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɹiːd/
Letters4
Frequency rank#266
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “read” 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). read lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 5 spelling variants around read (IPA /ɹiːd/), averb. Corpus frequency is #266 among 21,470 “R” headwords. Wiktionary lists 18 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for read, with forms such as "erad", "raed", and "readd". 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, "red", "rid", "rep", 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 reden, from Old English rǣdan (“to counsel, advise, consult; interpret, read”), from Proto-West Germanic *rādan, from Proto-Germanic *rēdaną (“advise, counsel”), from Proto-Indo-European *Hreh₁dʰ- (“to arrange”). Cognate with Scots rede,… The correct English form is read, spelled R-E-A-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    To look at and interpret letters or other information that is written.
  2. 2
    To look at and interpret letters or other information that is written.
  3. 3
    To look at and interpret letters or other information that is written.
  4. 4
    To speak aloud words or other information that is written. (often construed with a to phrase or an indirect object)
  5. 5
    To interpret, or infer a meaning, significance, thought, intention, etc., from.
  6. 6
    To consist of certain text.
  7. 7
    To substitute a corrected piece of text in place of an erroneous one; used to introduce an emendation of a text.
  8. 8
    To substitute a corrected piece of text in place of an erroneous one; used to introduce an emendation of a text.
  9. 9
    To be able to hear what another person is saying over a radio connection.
  10. 10
    To observe and comprehend (a displayed signal).
  11. 11
    To study (a subject) at a high level, especially at university.
  12. 12
    To fetch data from (a storage medium, etc.).
  13. 13
    To recognise (someone) as being transgender.
  14. 14
    To call attention to the flaws of (someone) in a playful, taunting, or insulting way.
  15. 15
    To imagine sequences of potential moves and responses without actually placing stones.
  16. 16
    To think, believe; to consider (that).
  17. 17
    To advise; to counsel. See rede.
  18. 18
    To tell; to declare; to recite.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Have you read this book?
  2. He doesn’t like to read.

Etymology

From Middle English reden, from Old English rǣdan (“to counsel, advise, consult; interpret, read”), from Proto-West Germanic *rādan, from Proto-Germanic *rēdaną (“advise, counsel”), from Proto-Indo-European *Hreh₁dʰ- (“to arrange”). Cognate with Scots rede, red (“to advise, counsel, decipher, read”), Saterland Frisian räide (“to advise, counsel”), West Frisian riede (“to advise, counsel”), Dutch raden (“to advise; guess”), German raten (“to advise; guess”), Danish råde (“to advise”), Swedish råda (“to advise, counsel”), Persian رده (rade, “to order, to arrange, class”). In West Germanic the verb had a sense “interpret”, which developed further into “interpret letters” in English and “interpret by intuition, guess” on the continent. Compare rede.

Synonyms

read

This word in other languages

leer(Español)lire(Français)lesen(Deutsch)ler(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • erad
  • raed
  • readd
  • reda
  • rread

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

erad2raed2readd1reda2rread1
Edit distance from "read"

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.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 6, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "read"?
"read" is spelled R-E-A-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹiːd/.
What does "read" mean?
As a verb, "read" means: To look at and interpret letters or other information that is written.
What words are commonly confused with "read"?
"read" is commonly confused with "red", "rid", "rep". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "read"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "read" is /ɹiːd/. 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 "read"?
From Middle English reden, from Old English rǣdan (“to counsel, advise, consult; interpret, read”), from Proto-West Germanic *rādan, from Proto-Germanic *rēdaną (“advise, counsel”), from Proto-Indo-European *Hreh₁dʰ- (“to arrange”). Cognate with S... 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 "read", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 4 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

told#268live#263full#262four#272

Similar misspelling depth

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

once5 variantscase5 variantsweek5 variantshead5 variants
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