rolling

/ˈɹəʊ.lɪŋ/

//ˈɹəʊ.lɪŋ// adj

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

The verdict

“rolling” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,194 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#3,194
frequency rank, English
7
letters
9
tracked misspellings
18
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Drunk; intoxicated from alcohol, staggering.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

rolling vs ruling
71% similar
rolling vs rowing
71% similar
rolling vs roving
71% similar

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

Key facts for rolling
PropertyValue
Headwordrolling
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈɹəʊ.lɪŋ/
Letters7
Frequency rank#3,194
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs18
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “rolling” 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). rolling 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 rolling is 7 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɹəʊ.lɪŋ/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,194 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 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for rolling, with forms such as "orlling", "rloling", and "rolilng". 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 18 confusable-pair relationships, "ruling", "rowing", "roving", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: By surface analysis, roll + -ing. The correct English form is rolling, spelled R-O-L-L-I-N-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    Drunk; intoxicated from alcohol, staggering.
  2. 2
    Staggered in time and space.
  3. 3
    Moving by turning over and over about an axis.
  4. 4
    Extending in gentle undulations (of the landscape).
  5. 5
    Making a continuous sound.
  6. 6
    Ellipsis of rolling in it (“very wealthy”).
  7. 7
    having sloping edges that make the skin appear wavy and uneven.
  8. 8
    Under the influence of MDMA (a psychedelic stimulant, also known as ecstasy and molly).

Etymology

By surface analysis, roll + -ing.

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: orlling,rloling,rolilng,roling,rollign,rollingg,rollinng,rollnig,rrolling

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

orlling2rloling2rolilng2roling1rollign2rollingg1rollinng1rollnig2
Edit distance from "rolling"

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 "rolling"?
"rolling" is spelled R-O-L-L-I-N-G. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɹəʊ.lɪŋ/.
What does "rolling" mean?
As an adjective, "rolling" means: Drunk; intoxicated from alcohol, staggering.
What words are commonly confused with "rolling"?
"rolling" is commonly confused with "ruling", "rowing", "roving". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "rolling"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "rolling" is /ˈɹəʊ.lɪŋ/. 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 "rolling"?
By surface analysis, roll + -ing. 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 “rolling”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is R-O-L-L-I-N-G - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɹəʊ.lɪŋ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “ruling” - see the side-by-side comparison. rolling vs ruling
  • 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