renovate

/ˈɹɛ.nəʊ.veɪt/

//ˈɹɛ.nəʊ.veɪt// verb

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

"renovate" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“renovate” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #27,267 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#27,267
frequency rank, English
8
letters
11
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To renew; to revamp something to make it look new again.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

renovate vs resonate
75% similar
renovate vs relocate
75% similar

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

Key facts for renovate
PropertyValue
Headwordrenovate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈɹɛ.nəʊ.veɪt/
Letters8
Frequency rank#27,267
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “renovate” 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). renovate 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 renovate is 8 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɹɛ.nəʊ.veɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #27,267 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for renovate, with forms such as "ernovate", "rennovate", and "renoavte". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "resonate", "relocate", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: The adjective first attested in 1440, the verb in 1535; from Middle English renovat(e) (“renewed”), from Latin renovātus, perfect passive participle of renovō (“to renew”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Participial usage up until Early Modern English. The correct English form is renovate, spelled R-E-N-O-V-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To renew; to revamp something to make it look new again.
  2. 2
    To restore to freshness or vigor.

Etymology

The adjective first attested in 1440, the verb in 1535; from Middle English renovat(e) (“renewed”), from Latin renovātus, perfect passive participle of renovō (“to renew”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Participial usage up until Early Modern English.

This word in other languages

renovar(Español)rénover(Français)renovieren(Deutsch)renovar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ernovate,rennovate,renoavte,renovaet,renovatte,renovtae,renovvate,renvoate,reonvate,rneovate,rrenovate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ernovate2rennovate1renoavte2renovaet2renovatte1renovtae2renovvate1renvoate2
Edit distance from "renovate"

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 "renovate"?
"renovate" is spelled R-E-N-O-V-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɹɛ.nəʊ.veɪt/.
What does "renovate" mean?
As a verb, "renovate" means: To renew; to revamp something to make it look new again.
What words are commonly confused with "renovate"?
"renovate" is commonly confused with "resonate", "relocate". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "renovate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "renovate" is /ˈɹɛ.nəʊ.veɪt/. 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 "renovate"?
The adjective first attested in 1440, the verb in 1535; from Middle English renovat(e) (“renewed”), from Latin renovātus, perfect passive participle of renovō (“to renew”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Participial usage up until Early Modern En... 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 “renovate”

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

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