runoff

noun

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

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

The verdict

“runoff” has 7 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #14,404. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#14,404
frequency rank, English
3,094
“R” headwords
7
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - That portion of precipitation or irrigation on an area which does not infiltrate or evaporate, but instead is discharged from the area.

Corpus desk

Index EN-runoff · runoff · English

runoff · rank #14,404 · 7 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #14,404
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-MID 7 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,094
  • PHOTO-FINISH Rwanda

Nearest frequency peer: Rwanda (+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 “runoff”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “runoff” 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).

runoff vs ruff
67% similar
runoff vs Rudolf
50% similar

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

Key facts for runoff
PropertyValue
Headwordrunoff
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
Letters6
Frequency rank#14,404
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “runoff”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).runofflands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “Rwanda” (#14,405), “robotics” (#14,402), “salsa” (#14,406). Among 3,094 “R” headwords, “runoff” is #14,404. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 7 spelling variants around runoff, anoun. Corpus frequency is #14,404 among 3,094 “R” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for runoff, with forms such as "rnuoff", "rrunoff", and "runfof". 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, "ruff", "Rudolf", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Deverbal from run off. The correct English form is runoff, spelled R-U-N-O-F-F.

Definition

  1. 1
    That portion of precipitation or irrigation on an area which does not infiltrate or evaporate, but instead is discharged from the area.
  2. 2
    Dissolved chemicals, etc, included in such water.
  3. 3
    A second or further round of a competition, after other competitors (often all but the last two) have been eliminated.
  4. 4
    A second or further round of an indecisive election, after other candidates (often all but the last two) have been eliminated.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. The next series of high tides or large waves will tend to rebuild the berm and redam the stream. Ultimately, increased runoff due to fall or winter rains will raise the stream level to the point where it breaks through.
  2. The runoff of nitrates is poisoning the lake.

Etymology

Deverbal from run off.

This word in other languages

balotaje(Español)ballottage(Français)Abfluss(Deutsch)escoamento(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • rnuoff
  • rrunoff
  • runfof
  • runnoff
  • runof
  • ruonff
  • urnoff

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

rnuoff2rrunoff1runfof2runnoff1runof1ruonff2urnoff2
Edit distance from "runoff"

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 "runoff"?
"runoff" is spelled R-U-N-O-F-F.
What does "runoff" mean?
As a noun, "runoff" means: That portion of precipitation or irrigation on an area which does not infiltrate or evaporate, but instead is discharged from the area.
What words are commonly confused with "runoff"?
"runoff" is commonly confused with "ruff", "Rudolf". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
What is the origin of the word "runoff"?
Deverbal from run off. 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 "runoff", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Rwanda#14,405redeem#14,397recess#14,396snatch#14,416

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (7 here; floor ≥5).

Quran7 variantsswore7 variantsmarrow7 variantsvomit7 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list