supersede

/ˌsuːpəˈsiːd/

//ˌsuːpəˈsiːd// verb

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

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

The verdict

“supersede” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #42,928. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#42,928
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords
13
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To take the place of.

Corpus desk

Index EN-supersede · supersede · English

supersede · rank #42,928 · 13 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #42,928
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 13 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH Sumerian

Nearest frequency peer: Sumerian (-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 “supersede”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “supersede” 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
Key facts for supersede
PropertyValue
Headwordsupersede
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˌsuːpəˈsiːd/
Letters9
Frequency rank#42,928
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “supersede”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).supersedelands 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 “Sumerian” (#42,927), “sustainably” (#42,929), “suki” (#42,926). Among 6,566 “S” headwords, “supersede” is #42,928. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around supersede (IPA /ˌsuːpəˈsiːd/), averb. Corpus frequency is #42,928 among 6,566 “S” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for supersede, with forms such as "spuersede", "ssupersede", and "sueprsede". 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. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French superseder (“postpone, defer”), from Latin supersedēre, from super (“over”) + sedēre (“to sit”). The meaning “to replace” is from 1642, probably by association with unrelated precede – note that c instead of s (from cēdere (“to yield”), n… The correct English form is supersede, spelled S-U-P-E-R-S-E-D-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To take the place of.
  2. 2
    To displace in favor of itself.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Those older products have been superseded by our new range.
  2. Then one deep love doth supersede ⁠All other, when her ardent gaze ⁠Roves from the living brother’s face, And rests upon the Life indeed.

Etymology

From Middle French superseder (“postpone, defer”), from Latin supersedēre, from super (“over”) + sedēre (“to sit”). The meaning “to replace” is from 1642, probably by association with unrelated precede – note that c instead of s (from cēdere (“to yield”), not sedēre (“to sit”)). As a result, supercede is a common misspelling – see therein for further discussion. Doublet of surcease.

Synonyms

replacesupplantusurp

This word in other languages

subseguir(Español)supplanter(Français)aufheben(Deutsch)sobrepor(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • spuersede
  • ssupersede
  • sueprsede
  • superesde
  • superrsede
  • supersdee
  • supersedde
  • superseed
  • superssede
  • supesrede
  • suppersede
  • supresede
  • uspersede

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

spuersede2ssupersede1sueprsede2superesde2superrsede1supersdee2supersedde1superseed2
Edit distance from "supersede"

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 "supersede"?
"supersede" is spelled S-U-P-E-R-S-E-D-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌsuːpəˈsiːd/.
What does "supersede" mean?
As a verb, "supersede" means: To take the place of.
What are common misspellings of "supersede"?
Common misspellings include "spuersede", "ssupersede", "sueprsede", "superesde", "superrsede". The correct spelling is "supersede".
How do you pronounce "supersede"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "supersede" is /ˌsuːpəˈsiːd/. 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 "supersede"?
From Middle French superseder (“postpone, defer”), from Latin supersedēre, from super (“over”) + sedēre (“to sit”). The meaning “to replace” is from 1642, probably by association with unrelated precede – note that c instead of s (from cēdere (“to ... 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 "supersede", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

Spaulding#42,911theatrics#42,945thermally#42,947Tipperary#42,952

Similar misspelling depth

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

Stormont13 variantssongbird13 variantssixpence13 variantsunattached13 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list