simply

/ˈsɪmpli/

//ˈsɪmpli// adv

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

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

The verdict

“simply” has 10 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #887. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#887
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords
10
tracked misspellings
11
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - In a simple way or state; considered in or by itself; without addition; alone.

Corpus desk

Index EN-simply · simply · English

simply · rank #887 · 10 variants · 11 confusables

  • FREQ-CORE #887
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 11 pairs
  • VAR-MID 10 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH simple

Nearest frequency peer: simple (-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 “simply”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “simply” 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).

simply vs supply
67% similar
simply vs skimpy
67% similar
simply vs singly
67% similar

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

Key facts for simply
PropertyValue
Headwordsimply
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/ˈsɪmpli/
Letters6
Frequency rank#887
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs11
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “simply”

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

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “simple” (#886), “staff” (#888), “sign” (#885). Among 6,566 “S” headwords, “simply” is #887. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 10 spelling variants around simply (IPA /ˈsɪmpli/), anadverb. Corpus frequency is #887 among 6,566 “S” headwords. Wiktionary lists 6 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for simply, with forms such as "ismply", "simlpy", and "simmply". 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 11 confusable-pair relationships, "supply", "skimpy", "singly", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English symply, symplely; equivalent to simple + -ly, with *-lely simplified to -ly by haplology. The correct English form is simply, spelled S-I-M-P-L-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    In a simple way or state; considered in or by itself; without addition; alone.
  2. 2
    Plainly; without art or subtlety
  3. 3
    Foolishly; stupidly.
  4. 4
    Merely; solely.
  5. 5
    absolutely, positively.
  6. 6
    Frankly.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Mrs. Thorold had told her sons that a young lady was visiting at the house, whose history she had given them in short hand, describing her as a dependent on the late Mrs. Willoughby, whom her son had very simply intended to marry at Alvestone […].
  2. I was simply asking a question.

Etymology

From Middle English symply, symplely; equivalent to simple + -ly, with *-lely simplified to -ly by haplology.

This word in other languages

simplemente(Español)simplement(Français)einfach(Deutsch)simplesmente(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ismply
  • simlpy
  • simmply
  • simplly
  • simplyy
  • simpply
  • simpyl
  • sipmly
  • smiply
  • ssimply

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of simply - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ismply2simlpy2simmply1simplly1simplyy1simpply1simpyl2sipmly2
Edit distance from "simply"

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 "simply"?
"simply" is spelled S-I-M-P-L-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsɪmpli/.
What does "simply" mean?
As an adverb, "simply" means: In a simple way or state; considered in or by itself; without addition; alone.
What words are commonly confused with "simply"?
"simply" is commonly confused with "supply", "skimpy", "singly". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "simply"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "simply" is /ˈsɪmpli/. 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 "simply"?
From Middle English symply, symplely; equivalent to simple + -ly, with *-lely simplified to -ly by haplology. 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 "simply", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

simple#886career#896events#872figure#904

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (10 here; floor ≥5).

foreign10 variantsEuropean10 variantscouncil10 variantspopular10 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list