terrifying
/ˈtɛɹɪfaɪ.ɪŋ/
"terrifying" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“terrifying” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #7,753 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.
- #7,753
- frequency rank, English
- 10
- letters
- 14
- tracked misspellings
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Frightening or intimidating.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | terrifying |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Adjective |
| IPA | /ˈtɛɹɪfaɪ.ɪŋ/ |
| Letters | 10 |
| Frequency rank | #7,753 |
| Misspellings tracked | 14 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “terrifying” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for terrifying is 10 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈtɛɹɪfaɪ.ɪŋ/. Corpus data places it at rank #7,753 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for terrifying, with forms such as "etrrifying", "terifying", and "terirfying". 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. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.
This entry carries no recorded etymology, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct English form is terrifying, spelled T-E-R-R-I-F-Y-I-N-G.
Definition
- 1Frightening or intimidating.
- 2Of a formidable nature; terrific.
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: etrrifying,terifying,terirfying,terrfiying,terriffying,terrifiyng,terrifyign,terrifyingg,terrifyinng,terrifynig,terrifyying,terriyfing,trerifying,tterrifying
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of terrifying - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.
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
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Using “terrifying”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is T-E-R-R-I-F-Y-I-N-G - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈtɛɹɪfaɪ.ɪŋ/ (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.