unblock
/ʌnˈblɒk/
"unblock" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“unblock” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #40,943 in English word frequency and used as a verb.
- #40,943
- frequency rank, English
- 7
- letters
- 11
- tracked misspellings
- 2
- confusable pairs
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To remove or clear a block or obstruction from.
Visual similarity to commonly confused words
How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).
Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | unblock |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| IPA | /ʌnˈblɒk/ |
| Letters | 7 |
| Frequency rank | #40,943 |
| Misspellings tracked | 11 |
| Confusable pairs | 2 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “unblock” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for unblock is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ʌnˈblɒk/. Corpus data places it at rank #40,943 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for unblock, with forms such as "nublock", "ubnlock", and "unbblock". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "unlock", "unblocked", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.
Etymologically, the entry records: From un- + block. The correct English form is unblock, spelled U-N-B-L-O-C-K.
Definition
- 1To remove or clear a block or obstruction from.
- 2To free or make available.
- 3In whist, to throw away a high card so as not to interrupt one's partner's long suit.
- 4To enable communication again, via telephone, instant messaging, etc., with (somebody previously blocked).
Etymology
From un- + block.
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: nublock,ubnlock,unbblock,unblcok,unbllock,unblocck,unblockk,unblokc,unbolck,unlbock,unnblock
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of unblock - 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
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Using “unblock”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is U-N-B-L-O-C-K - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ʌnˈblɒk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Don't mix it up with “unlock” - see the side-by-side comparison. unblock vs unlock
- 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.