release

/ɹəˈliːs/

//ɹəˈliːs// noun

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

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

The verdict

“release” has 9 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #856. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#856
frequency rank, English
3,094
“R” headwords
9
tracked misspellings
6
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The event of setting (someone or something) free (e.g. hostages, slaves, prisoners, caged animals, hooked or stuck mechanisms).

Corpus desk

Index EN-release · release · English

release · rank #856 · 9 variants · 6 confusables

  • FREQ-CORE #856
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 6 pairs
  • VAR-MID 9 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,094
  • PHOTO-FINISH poor

Nearest frequency peer: poor (-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 “release”

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

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “release” 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 September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

release vs reverse
71% similar
release vs released
88% similar
release vs Reese
57% similar

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

Key facts for release
PropertyValue
Headwordrelease
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɹəˈliːs/
Letters7
Frequency rank#856
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs6
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “release” 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). release 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 9 spelling variants around release (IPA /ɹəˈliːs/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #856 among 3,094 “R” headwords. Wiktionary lists 15 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for release, with forms such as "erlease", "reelase", and "relaese". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 6 confusable-pair relationships, "reverse", "released", "Reese", 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 relesen, relessen, from Old French relaisser (variant of relascher). The correct English form is release, spelled R-E-L-E-A-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    The event of setting (someone or something) free (e.g. hostages, slaves, prisoners, caged animals, hooked or stuck mechanisms).
  2. 2
    The distribution, either public or private, of an initial or new and upgraded version of a computer software product.
  3. 3
    Anything recently released or made available (as for sale).
  4. 4
    That which is released, untied or let go.
  5. 5
    The giving up of a claim, especially a debt.
  6. 6
    Liberation from pain or suffering.
  7. 7
    The process by which a chemical substance is set free.
  8. 8
    The act or manner of ending a sound.
  9. 9
    In the block system, a printed card conveying information and instructions to be used at intermediate sidings without telegraphic stations.
  10. 10
    A device adapted to hold or release a device or mechanism as required.
  11. 11
    A device adapted to hold or release a device or mechanism as required.
  12. 12
    A device adapted to hold or release a device or mechanism as required.
  13. 13
    Orgasm.
  14. 14
    Discharged semen
  15. 15
    A kind of bridge used in jazz music.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Similar studies of rats have employed four different intracranial resorbable, slow sustained release systems—surgical foam, a thermal gel depot, a microcapsule or biodegradable polymer beads.
  2. The video store advertised that it had all the latest releases.

Etymology

From Middle English relesen, relessen, from Old French relaisser (variant of relascher).

Synonyms

quietus

This word in other languages

liberación(Español)lâcher(Français)Entlassen(Deutsch)libertar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • erlease
  • reelase
  • relaese
  • releaes
  • releasse
  • relesae
  • rellease
  • rleease
  • rrelease

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of release - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

erlease2reelase2relaese2releaes2releasse1relesae2rellease1rleease2
Edit distance from "release"

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 September 3, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "release"?
"release" is spelled R-E-L-E-A-S-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹəˈliːs/.
What does "release" mean?
As a noun, "release" means: The event of setting (someone or something) free (e.g. hostages, slaves, prisoners, caged animals, hooked or stuck mechanisms).
What words are commonly confused with "release"?
"release" is commonly confused with "reverse", "released", "Reese". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "release"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "release" is /ɹəˈliːs/. 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 "release"?
From Middle English relesen, relessen, from Old French relaisser (variant of relascher). 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 "release", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

perhaps#854website#860January#851written#861

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (9 here; floor ≥5).

turned9 variantsevents9 variantsserious9 variantsMichael9 variants

What to do next

You've looked up "release". Here's where to go from here.

  • "release" maps to 6 confusable pairs in this vintage; the highest-scored is "reverse". View pair
  • 9 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #856 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "R" letter cohort. R–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

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