recession

/ɹɪˈsɛʃn̩/

//ɹɪˈsɛʃn̩// noun

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

"recession" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“recession” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #8,977 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#8,977
frequency rank, English
9
letters
12
tracked misspellings
7
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act or an instance of receding or withdrawing.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

recession vs remission
78% similar
recession vs recessive
78% similar
recession vs recursion
78% similar

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

Key facts for recession
PropertyValue
Headwordrecession
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɹɪˈsɛʃn̩/
Letters9
Frequency rank#8,977
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs7
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “recession” 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). recession 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 recession is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɹɪˈsɛʃn̩/. Corpus data places it at rank #8,977 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for recession, with forms such as "ercession", "rceession", and "reccession". 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 7 confusable-pair relationships, "remission", "recessive", "recursion", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin recessiō, from recēdō (“recede, retreat”), from re- (“back”) + cēdō (“to go”). By surface analysis, recess + -ion. The correct English form is recession, spelled R-E-C-E-S-S-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act or an instance of receding or withdrawing.
  2. 2
    A period of low temperatures that causes a reduction in species; ice age.
  3. 3
    A period of reduced economic activity.
  4. 4
    The ceremonial filing out of clergy and/or choir at the end of a church service.
  5. 5
    The act of ceding something back.
  6. 6
    A procedure in which an extraocular muscle is detached from the globe of the eye and reattached posteriorly.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin recessiō, from recēdō (“recede, retreat”), from re- (“back”) + cēdō (“to go”). By surface analysis, recess + -ion.

This word in other languages

recesión(Español)récession(Français)Rezession(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ercession,rceession,reccession,recesion,recesison,recessino,recessionn,recessoin,recestion,recsesion,reecssion,rrecession

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of recession - 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.

ercession2rceession2reccession1recesion1recesison2recessino2recessionn1recessoin2
Edit distance from "recession"

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 "recession"?
"recession" is spelled R-E-C-E-S-S-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹɪˈsɛʃn̩/.
What does "recession" mean?
As a noun, "recession" means: The act or an instance of receding or withdrawing.
What words are commonly confused with "recession"?
"recession" is commonly confused with "remission", "recessive", "recursion". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "recession"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "recession" is /ɹɪˈsɛʃn̩/. 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 "recession"?
Borrowed from Latin recessiō, from recēdō (“recede, retreat”), from re- (“back”) + cēdō (“to go”). By surface analysis, recess + -ion. 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 “recession”

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

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