replace

/ɹɪˈpleɪs/

//ɹɪˈpleɪs// verb

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

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

The verdict

“replace” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,593 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#2,593
frequency rank, English
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings
6
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To restore to a former place, position, condition, etc.; to put back.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

replace vs replay
71% similar
replace vs replica
71% similar
replace vs replete
71% similar

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

Key facts for replace
PropertyValue
Headwordreplace
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɹɪˈpleɪs/
Letters7
Frequency rank#2,593
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs6
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “replace” 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). replace 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 replace is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɹɪˈpleɪs/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,593 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for replace, with forms such as "erplace", "relpace", and "repalce". 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 6 confusable-pair relationships, "replay", "replica", "replete", 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 re- + place. The correct English form is replace, spelled R-E-P-L-A-C-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To restore to a former place, position, condition, etc.; to put back.
  2. 2
    To refund; to repay; to pay back.
  3. 3
    To supply or substitute an equivalent with.
  4. 4
    To take over the position or role from.
  5. 5
    To take the place of; to be used instead of.
  6. 6
    To demolish (a building) and build an updated form of that building in its place.
  7. 7
    To place again.
  8. 8
    To put in a new or different place.

Etymology

From re- + place.

Synonyms

exchangeswap

This word in other languages

reemplazar(Español)remplacer(Français)zurückstellen(Deutsch)substituir(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: erplace,relpace,repalce,replacce,replaec,replcae,repllace,repplace,rpelace,rreplace

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

erplace2relpace2repalce2replacce1replaec2replcae2repllace1repplace1
Edit distance from "replace"

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 "replace"?
"replace" is spelled R-E-P-L-A-C-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹɪˈpleɪs/.
What does "replace" mean?
As a verb, "replace" means: To restore to a former place, position, condition, etc.; to put back.
What words are commonly confused with "replace"?
"replace" is commonly confused with "replay", "replica", "replete". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "replace"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "replace" is /ɹɪˈpleɪs/. 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 "replace"?
From re- + place. 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 “replace”

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

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