recoil

/ɹɪˈkɔɪl/

//ɹɪˈkɔɪl// noun

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

"recoil" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“recoil” has 8 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #22,785. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#22,785
frequency rank, English
21,470
“R” headwords
8
tracked misspellings
7
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A starting or falling back; a rebound; a shrinking.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

recoil vs recon
67% similar
recoil vs record
67% similar
recoil vs retail
67% similar

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

Key facts for recoil
PropertyValue
Headwordrecoil
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɹɪˈkɔɪl/
Letters6
Frequency rank#22,785
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs7
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “recoil” 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). recoil 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 8 spelling variants around recoil (IPA /ɹɪˈkɔɪl/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #22,785 among 21,470 “R” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for recoil, with forms such as "ercoil", "rceoil", and "reccoil". 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, "recon", "record", "retail", 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 Old French reculer. Further from Latin re- + cūlus. The correct English form is recoil, spelled R-E-C-O-I-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    A starting or falling back; a rebound; a shrinking.
  2. 2
    The state or condition of having recoiled.
  3. 3
    The energy transmitted back to the shooter from a firearm which has fired. Recoil is a function of the weight of the weapon, the weight of the projectile, and the speed at which it leaves the muzzle.
  4. 4
    An escapement in which, after each beat, the scape-wheel recoils slightly.

Etymology

From Old French reculer. Further from Latin re- + cūlus.

Synonyms

kick

This word in other languages

retroceso(Español)recul(Français)Rückstoß(Deutsch)coice(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ercoil,rceoil,reccoil,reciol,recoill,recoli,reocil,rrecoil

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ercoil2rceoil2reccoil1reciol2recoill1recoli2reocil2rrecoil1
Edit distance from "recoil"

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 "recoil"?
"recoil" is spelled R-E-C-O-I-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹɪˈkɔɪl/.
What does "recoil" mean?
As a noun, "recoil" means: A starting or falling back; a rebound; a shrinking.
What words are commonly confused with "recoil"?
"recoil" is commonly confused with "recon", "record", "retail". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "recoil"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "recoil" is /ɹɪˈkɔɪl/. 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 "recoil"?
From Old French reculer. Further from Latin re- + cūlus. 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 “recoil”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is R-E-C-O-I-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɹɪˈkɔɪl/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “recon” - see the side-by-side comparison. recoil vs recon
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

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