tread

/tɹɛd/

//tɹɛd// verb

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

"tread" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“tread” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #14,652 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#14,652
frequency rank, English
5
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To step or walk (on or across something); to trample.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

tread vs tree
60% similar
tread vs trek
60% similar
tread vs Trey
40% similar

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

Key facts for tread
PropertyValue
Headwordtread
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/tɹɛd/
Letters5
Frequency rank#14,652
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “tread” 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). tread lands here:

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

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

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for tread is 5 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /tɹɛd/. Corpus data places it at rank #14,652 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 10 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for tread, with forms such as "rtead", "terad", and "treadd". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "tree", "trek", "Trey", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English treden, from Old English tredan, from Proto-West Germanic *tredan, from Proto-Germanic *trudaną. The correct English form is tread, spelled T-R-E-A-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    To step or walk (on or across something); to trample.
  2. 2
    To step or walk upon.
  3. 3
    To proceed, to behave (in a certain manner).
  4. 4
    To beat or press with the feet.
  5. 5
    To work a lever, treadle, etc., with the foot or the feet.
  6. 6
    To go through or accomplish by walking, dancing, etc.
  7. 7
    To crush under the foot; to trample in contempt or hatred; to subdue; to repress.
  8. 8
    To copulate; said of (especially male) birds.
  9. 9
    To copulate with (a hen).
  10. 10
    To crush grapes with one's feet to make wine

Etymology

From Middle English treden, from Old English tredan, from Proto-West Germanic *tredan, from Proto-Germanic *trudaną.

This word in other languages

pisar(Español)fouler(Français)betreten(Deutsch)pisar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: rtead,terad,treadd,treda,trread,ttread

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of tread - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

rtead2terad2treadd1treda2trread1ttread1
Edit distance from "tread"

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 "tread"?
"tread" is spelled T-R-E-A-D. The IPA pronunciation is /tɹɛd/.
What does "tread" mean?
As a verb, "tread" means: To step or walk (on or across something); to trample.
What words are commonly confused with "tread"?
"tread" is commonly confused with "tree", "trek", "Trey". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "tread"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "tread" is /tɹɛd/. 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 "tread"?
From Middle English treden, from Old English tredan, from Proto-West Germanic *tredan, from Proto-Germanic *trudaną. 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 “tread”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is T-R-E-A-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /tɹɛd/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “tree” - see the side-by-side comparison. tread vs tree
  • 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list