remove

/ɹɪˈmuːv/

//ɹɪˈmuːv// verb

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

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

The verdict

“remove” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,013 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#2,013
frequency rank, English
6
letters
8
tracked misspellings
18
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To delete.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

remove vs rove
67% similar
remove vs revive
67% similar
remove vs revoke
67% similar

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

Key facts for remove
PropertyValue
Headwordremove
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɹɪˈmuːv/
Letters6
Frequency rank#2,013
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs18
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “remove” 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). remove 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 remove is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɹɪˈmuːv/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,013 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for remove, with forms such as "ermove", "remmove", and "remoev". 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 18 confusable-pair relationships, "rove", "revive", "revoke", 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 removen, from Anglo-Norman remover, removeir, from Old French remouvoir, from Latin removēre, from re- + movēre (“to move”), equivalent to re- + move. Displaced native Old English āfierran. The correct English form is remove, spelled R-E-M-O-V-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To delete.
  2. 2
    To move from one place to another, especially to take away.
  3. 3
    To move from one place to another, especially to take away.
  4. 4
    To murder.
  5. 5
    To dismiss a batsman.
  6. 6
    To discard, set aside, especially something abstract (a thought, feeling, etc.).
  7. 7
    To depart, to leave; to move oneself or be moved.
  8. 8
    To change one's residence or place of business; to move.
  9. 9
    To dismiss or discharge from office.

Etymology

From Middle English removen, from Anglo-Norman remover, removeir, from Old French remouvoir, from Latin removēre, from re- + movēre (“to move”), equivalent to re- + move. Displaced native Old English āfierran.

Synonyms

unstayabatebatedeductknock offremovesubductsubtracttaketake awaytake off

Antonyms

settleplaceadd

This word in other languages

quitar(Español)enlever(Français)entfernen(Deutsch)remover(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ermove,remmove,remoev,removve,remvoe,reomve,rmeove,rremove

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ermove2remmove1remoev2removve1remvoe2reomve2rmeove2rremove1
Edit distance from "remove"

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 "remove"?
"remove" is spelled R-E-M-O-V-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹɪˈmuːv/.
What does "remove" mean?
As a verb, "remove" means: To delete.
What words are commonly confused with "remove"?
"remove" is commonly confused with "rove", "revive", "revoke". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "remove"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "remove" is /ɹɪˈmuːv/. 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 "remove"?
From Middle English removen, from Anglo-Norman remover, removeir, from Old French remouvoir, from Latin removēre, from re- + movēre (“to move”), equivalent to re- + move. Displaced native Old English āfierran. 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 “remove”

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

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