smoothly

/ˈsmuːðli/

//ˈsmuːðli// adv

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

The verdict

“smoothly” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #11,609. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#11,609
frequency rank, English
54,294
“S” headwords
13
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - in a smooth manner; smooth

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

smoothly vs smooth
75% similar
smoothly vs smoothie
75% similar

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

Key facts for smoothly
PropertyValue
Headwordsmoothly
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/ˈsmuːðli/
Letters8
Frequency rank#11,609
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “smoothly” 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). smoothly lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around smoothly (IPA /ˈsmuːðli/), anadverb. Corpus frequency is #11,609 among 54,294 “S” headwords. Dominant gloss: "in a smooth manner; smooth".

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for smoothly, with forms such as "msoothly", "smmoothly", and "smoohtly". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "smooth", "smoothie", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English smoþely; equivalent to smooth + -ly. The correct English form is smoothly, spelled S-M-O-O-T-H-L-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    in a smooth manner; smooth

Etymology

From Middle English smoþely; equivalent to smooth + -ly.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • msoothly
  • smmoothly
  • smoohtly
  • smoothhly
  • smoothlly
  • smoothlyy
  • smoothyl
  • smootlhy
  • smootthly
  • smothly
  • smotohly
  • somothly
  • ssmoothly

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

msoothly2smmoothly1smoohtly2smoothhly1smoothlly1smoothlyy1smoothyl2smootlhy2
Edit distance from "smoothly"

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 "smoothly"?
"smoothly" is spelled S-M-O-O-T-H-L-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsmuːðli/.
What does "smoothly" mean?
As an adverb, "smoothly" means: in a smooth manner; smooth
What words are commonly confused with "smoothly"?
"smoothly" is commonly confused with "smooth", "smoothie". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "smoothly"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "smoothly" is /ˈsmuːðli/. 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 "smoothly"?
From Middle English smoþely; equivalent to smooth + -ly. 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 “smoothly”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is S-M-O-O-T-H-L-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈsmuːðli/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “smooth” - see the side-by-side comparison. smoothly vs smooth
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

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