usable

/ˈjuː.zə.bəl/

//ˈjuː.zə.bəl// adj

"usable" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“usable” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #14,447 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#14,447
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Capable of being used.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

usable vs usage
67% similar
usable vs unable
83% similar
usable vs unstable
75% similar

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

Key facts for usable
PropertyValue
Headwordusable
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈjuː.zə.bəl/
Letters6
Frequency rank#14,447
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “usable” 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). usable 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 usable is 6 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈjuː.zə.bəl/. Corpus data places it at rank #14,447 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for usable, with forms such as "suable", "uasble", and "usabble". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 4 confusable-pair relationships, "usage", "unable", "unstable", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Old French usable, from the verb user (“to use”). The correct English form is usable, spelled U-S-A-B-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Capable of being used.
  2. 2
    Easy to use; exhibiting good usability.
  3. 3
    homosexual

Etymology

From Old French usable, from the verb user (“to use”).

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: suable,uasble,usabble,usabel,usablle,usalbe,usbale,usible,ussable

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

suable2uasble2usabble1usabel2usablle1usalbe2usbale2usible1
Edit distance from "usable"

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 "usable"?
"usable" is spelled U-S-A-B-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈjuː.zə.bəl/.
What does "usable" mean?
As an adjective, "usable" means: Capable of being used.
What words are commonly confused with "usable"?
"usable" is commonly confused with "usage", "unable", "unstable". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "usable"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "usable" is /ˈjuː.zə.bəl/. 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 "usable"?
From Old French usable, from the verb user (“to use”). 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 “usable”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is U-S-A-B-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈjuː.zə.bəl/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “usage” - see the side-by-side comparison. usable vs usage
  • 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