recline

/ɹɪˈklaɪn/

//ɹɪˈklaɪn// verb

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

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

The verdict

“recline” is uncommon English (frequency #52,588 among 3,094 “R” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#52,588
frequency rank, English
3,094
“R” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To cause to lean back; to bend back.

Corpus desk

Index EN-recline · recline · English

recline · rank #52,588 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #52,588
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,094
  • PHOTO-FINISH rectifier

Nearest frequency peer: rectifier (+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.

Long-tail ranks near “recline”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “recline” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for recline
PropertyValue
Headwordrecline
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɹɪˈklaɪn/
Letters7
Frequency rank#52,588
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “recline” in English

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).reclinefalls in this rarity band:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Rare peers in the same band: “rectifier” (#52,589), “reassert” (#52,586), “rediscovery” (#52,591). Among 3,094 “R” headwords, “recline” is #52,588. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

recline is uncommon English at frequency #52,588 among 3,094 “R” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ɹɪˈklaɪn/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for recline, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin reclīnāre (“to bend back”). Compare decline, incline. The correct English form is recline, spelled R-E-C-L-I-N-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To cause to lean back; to bend back.
  2. 2
    To put in a resting position.
  3. 3
    To lean back.
  4. 4
    To put oneself in a resting position.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. She reclined her arms on the table and sighed.
  2. The mother, lovely tho' with grief oppreſt, / Reclin'd his dying head upon her breaſt.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin reclīnāre (“to bend back”). Compare decline, incline.

This word in other languages

zurücklehnen(Deutsch)apoiar(Português)

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 "recline"?
"recline" is spelled R-E-C-L-I-N-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹɪˈklaɪn/.
What does "recline" mean?
As a verb, "recline" means: To cause to lean back; to bend back.
How do you pronounce "recline"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "recline" is /ɹɪˈklaɪn/. 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 "recline"?
Borrowed from Latin reclīnāre (“to bend back”). Compare decline, incline. 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 "recline", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

riotous#52,603precast#52,565sangria#52,613Pizarro#52,554

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list