trembling

/ˈtɹɛmblɪŋ/

//ˈtɹɛmblɪŋ// noun

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

The verdict

“trembling” has 15 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #20,521. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#20,521
frequency rank, English
27,828
“T” headwords
15
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A tremble.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

trembling vs tumbling
78% similar
trembling vs troubling
78% similar
trembling vs trampling
78% similar

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

Key facts for trembling
PropertyValue
Headwordtrembling
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈtɹɛmblɪŋ/
Letters9
Frequency rank#20,521
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “trembling” 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). trembling lands here:

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

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

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 15 spelling variants around trembling (IPA /ˈtɹɛmblɪŋ/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #20,521 among 27,828 “T” headwords. Dominant gloss: "A tremble.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for trembling, with forms such as "rtembling", "termbling", and "trebmling". 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. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "tumbling", "troubling", "trampling", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

This entry's etymology isn't recorded, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct English form is trembling, spelled T-R-E-M-B-L-I-N-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    A tremble.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • rtembling
  • termbling
  • trebmling
  • trembbling
  • trembilng
  • tremblign
  • tremblingg
  • tremblinng
  • tremblling
  • tremblnig
  • tremlbing
  • tremmbling
  • trmebling
  • trrembling
  • ttrembling

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

rtembling2termbling2trebmling2trembbling1trembilng2tremblign2tremblingg1tremblinng1
Edit distance from "trembling"

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 "trembling"?
"trembling" is spelled T-R-E-M-B-L-I-N-G. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtɹɛmblɪŋ/.
What does "trembling" mean?
As a noun, "trembling" means: A tremble.
What words are commonly confused with "trembling"?
"trembling" is commonly confused with "tumbling", "troubling", "trampling". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "trembling"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "trembling" is /ˈtɹɛmblɪŋ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "trembling" come from?
"trembling" is a English word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
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 “trembling”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is T-R-E-M-B-L-I-N-G - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈtɹɛmblɪŋ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “tumbling” - see the side-by-side comparison. trembling vs tumbling
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

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