stipulate

/ˈstɪpjuˌleɪt/

//ˈstɪpjuˌleɪt// verb

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

"stipulate" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“stipulate” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #38,634. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#38,634
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords
13
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To require (something) as a condition of a contract or agreement.

Corpus desk

Index EN-stipulate · stipulate · English

stipulate · rank #38,634 · 13 variants · 4 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #38,634
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 4 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 13 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH Stanhope

Nearest frequency peer: Stanhope (-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 “stipulate”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “stipulate” 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).

stipulate vs stipulated
90% similar
stipulate vs simulate
78% similar
stipulate vs stimulate
89% similar

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

Key facts for stipulate
PropertyValue
Headwordstipulate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈstɪpjuˌleɪt/
Letters9
Frequency rank#38,634
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “stipulate”

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

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “Stanhope” (#38,633), “squirting” (#38,632), “straddle” (#38,636). Among 6,566 “S” headwords, “stipulate” is #38,634. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around stipulate (IPA /ˈstɪpjuˌleɪt/), averb. Corpus frequency is #38,634 among 6,566 “S” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for stipulate, with forms such as "sitpulate", "sstipulate", and "stipluate". 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, "stipulated", "simulate", "stimulate", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin stipulātus, perfect active participle of stipulor (“to demand a formal promise, stipulate”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). The correct English form is stipulate, spelled S-T-I-P-U-L-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To require (something) as a condition of a contract or agreement.
  2. 2
    To specify, promise or guarantee something in an agreement.
  3. 3
    To acknowledge the truth of; not to challenge.
  4. 4
    To ask for a contractual term.
  5. 5
    To mutually agree.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. In general, steel springs were stipulated for primary suspension, although rubber was accepted for auxiliary springing; hydraulic dampers were specified and the use of laminated springs ruled out.
  2. My contract stipulated that I would make dinner for him at six o'clock and leave at seven after finishing the dishes; but the Professor began objecting to this schedule as soon as my son arrived on the scene.

Etymology

From Latin stipulātus, perfect active participle of stipulor (“to demand a formal promise, stipulate”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix).

This word in other languages

estipular(Español)stipuler(Français)stipulieren(Deutsch)estipular(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • sitpulate
  • sstipulate
  • stipluate
  • stippulate
  • stipualte
  • stipulaet
  • stipulatte
  • stipullate
  • stipultae
  • stiuplate
  • stpiulate
  • sttipulate
  • tsipulate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

sitpulate2sstipulate1stipluate2stippulate1stipualte2stipulaet2stipulatte1stipullate1
Edit distance from "stipulate"

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 "stipulate"?
"stipulate" is spelled S-T-I-P-U-L-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈstɪpjuˌleɪt/.
What does "stipulate" mean?
As a verb, "stipulate" means: To require (something) as a condition of a contract or agreement.
What words are commonly confused with "stipulate"?
"stipulate" is commonly confused with "stipulated", "simulate", "stimulate". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "stipulate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "stipulate" is /ˈstɪpjuˌleɪt/. 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 "stipulate"?
From Latin stipulātus, perfect active participle of stipulor (“to demand a formal promise, stipulate”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). 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 "stipulate", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

squirting#38,632throwaway#38,651scoundrel#38,610unchained#38,665

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (13 here; floor ≥5).

swatches13 variantstwerking13 variantsunelected13 variantsrapporteur13 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list