supersede
/ˌsuːpəˈsiːd/
"supersede" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“supersede” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #42,928 in English word frequency and used as a verb.
- #42,928
- frequency rank, English
- 9
- letters
- 13
- tracked misspellings
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To take the place of.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | supersede |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| IPA | /ˌsuːpəˈsiːd/ |
| Letters | 9 |
| Frequency rank | #42,928 |
| Misspellings tracked | 13 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “supersede” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for supersede is 9 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌsuːpəˈsiːd/. Corpus data places it at rank #42,928 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
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
- 1To take the place of.
- 2To displace in favor of itself.
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.
This word in other languages
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.
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"?
What does "supersede" mean?
What are common misspellings of "supersede"?
How do you pronounce "supersede"?
What is the origin of the word "supersede"?
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Using “supersede”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is S-U-P-E-R-S-E-D-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˌsuːpəˈsiːd/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
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.