regression

/ɹɪˈɡɹɛʃ.ən/

//ɹɪˈɡɹɛʃ.ən// noun

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

"regression" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“regression” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #15,043 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#15,043
frequency rank, English
10
letters
14
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An action of regressing, a return to a previous state.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

regression vs repression
90% similar
regression vs regressive
80% similar
regression vs recession
80% similar

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

Key facts for regression
PropertyValue
Headwordregression
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɹɪˈɡɹɛʃ.ən/
Letters10
Frequency rank#15,043
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “regression” 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). regression 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 regression is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɹɪˈɡɹɛʃ.ən/. Corpus data places it at rank #15,043 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for regression, with forms such as "ergression", "regerssion", and "reggression". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "repression", "regressive", "recession", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Learned borrowing from Latin regressio. Equivalent to regress + -ion. The statistics sense comes from regression to the mean. The correct English form is regression, spelled R-E-G-R-E-S-S-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    An action of regressing, a return to a previous state.
  2. 2
    An action of travelling mentally back in time.
  3. 3
    A psychotherapeutic method whereby healing is facilitated by inducing the patient to act out behaviour typical of an earlier developmental stage.
  4. 4
    An analytic method to measure the association of one or more independent variables with a dependent variable.
  5. 5
    An equation using specified and associated data for two or more variables such that one variable can be estimated from the remaining variable(s).
  6. 6
    The reappearance of a bug in a piece of software that had previously been fixed.
  7. 7
    The diminishing of a cellular mass like a tumor, or of an organ size.
  8. 8
    The making an exercise less straining to perform by manipulating the details of its performance like loaded weight, range of motion, angle, speed.

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin regressio. Equivalent to regress + -ion. The statistics sense comes from regression to the mean.

Antonyms

progression

This word in other languages

regresión(Español)régression(Français)Rückbildung(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ergression,regerssion,reggression,regresion,regresison,regressino,regressionn,regressoin,regrestion,regrression,regrsesion,rergession,rgeression,rregression

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ergression2regerssion2reggression1regresion1regresison2regressino2regressionn1regressoin2
Edit distance from "regression"

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 "regression"?
"regression" is spelled R-E-G-R-E-S-S-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹɪˈɡɹɛʃ.ən/.
What does "regression" mean?
As a noun, "regression" means: An action of regressing, a return to a previous state.
What words are commonly confused with "regression"?
"regression" is commonly confused with "repression", "regressive", "recession". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "regression"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "regression" is /ɹɪˈɡɹɛʃ.ən/. 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 "regression"?
Learned borrowing from Latin regressio. Equivalent to regress + -ion. The statistics sense comes from regression to the mean. 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 “regression”

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

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