reversal

/ɹɪˈvɜː(ɹ)səl/

//ɹɪˈvɜː(ɹ)səl// noun

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

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

The verdict

“reversal” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #13,799. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#13,799
frequency rank, English
3,094
“R” headwords
12
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The state of being reversed.

Corpus desk

Index EN-reversal · reversal · English

reversal · rank #13,799 · 12 variants · 4 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #13,799
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 4 pairs
  • VAR-MID 12 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,094
  • PHOTO-FINISH Revelations

Nearest frequency peer: Revelations (-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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “reversal”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “reversal” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

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).

reversal vs reverse
75% similar
reversal vs reveal
75% similar
reversal vs referral
75% similar

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

Key facts for reversal
PropertyValue
Headwordreversal
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɹɪˈvɜː(ɹ)səl/
Letters8
Frequency rank#13,799
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “reversal”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).reversallands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “Revelations” (#13,798), “rhyme” (#13,800), “rue” (#13,801). Among 3,094 “R” headwords, “reversal” is #13,799. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 12 spelling variants around reversal (IPA /ɹɪˈvɜː(ɹ)səl/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #13,799 among 3,094 “R” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for reversal, with forms such as "erversal", "reevrsal", and "reverasl". 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 4 confusable-pair relationships, "reverse", "reveal", "referral", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English reversall; equivalent to reverse + -al. The correct English form is reversal, spelled R-E-V-E-R-S-A-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    The state of being reversed.
  2. 2
    An instance of reversing.
  3. 3
    A change to an opposite direction.
  4. 4
    A change in fortune; a change from being successful to having problems.
  5. 5
    A rule in Tycoon where a three of a particular suit (most commonly spades) can beat a single joker. During revolution, most rulesets instead use a two of that suit to do this.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Running via Aston would require a reversal at New Street and this will be taken into account during the planning and normal industry testing processes.
  2. It's a 58-minute journey with seven intermediate stops, including a reversal at Cromer - another popular destination. The train starts to empty at North Walsham, and then there is an exodus at Cromer. The coach is almost empty for the final few miles into Sheringham.

Etymology

From Middle English reversall; equivalent to reverse + -al.

Synonyms

reversionabout-face

This word in other languages

inversión(Español)renversement(Français)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • erversal
  • reevrsal
  • reverasl
  • reverrsal
  • reversall
  • reversla
  • reverssal
  • revesral
  • revresal
  • revversal
  • rreversal
  • rveersal

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

erversal2reevrsal2reverasl2reverrsal1reversall1reversla2reverssal1revesral2
Edit distance from "reversal"

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 "reversal"?
"reversal" is spelled R-E-V-E-R-S-A-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹɪˈvɜː(ɹ)səl/.
What does "reversal" mean?
As a noun, "reversal" means: The state of being reversed.
What words are commonly confused with "reversal"?
"reversal" is commonly confused with "reverse", "reveal", "referral". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "reversal"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "reversal" is /ɹɪˈvɜː(ɹ)səl/. 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 "reversal"?
From Middle English reversall; equivalent to reverse + -al. 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 "reversal", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

recycled#13,794pursuant#13,793promoter#13,788Stafford#13,813

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (12 here; floor ≥5).

painters12 variantsupstream12 variantsmandated12 variantsMacMillan12 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list