used

/juːzd/

//juːzd// verb

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

"used" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“used” sits in 20 confusable pairs (corpus #156) as a verb. The look-alike neighbours are the real trap.

#156
frequency rank, English
1,433
“U” headwords
4
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - simple past and past participle of use

Corpus desk

Index EN-used · used · English

used · rank #156 · 4 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-CORE #156
  • LEN-MID 4 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-LOW 4 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,433
  • PHOTO-FINISH same

Nearest frequency peer: same (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Frequency neighbours of confusable “used”

Peers at similar corpus weight, separate from look-alike pairs below

corpus weight

What this shows Bars place “used” against nearest ranked English headwords, not a reprint of the confusable-pair desk.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

used vs USS
0% similar
used vs UST
0% similar
used vs ute
50% similar

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

Key facts for used
PropertyValue
Headwordused
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/juːzd/
Letters4
Frequency rank#156
Misspellings tracked4
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Corpus rank beside confusables of “used”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).usedlands here:

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “same” (#155), “both” (#157), “can't” (#154). Among 1,433 “U” headwords, “used” is #156. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Easy to mix with look-alikes

The spelling risk for used is neighbouring look-alikes ("USS", "UST", …), not just typos; it is averb pronounced /juːzd/. Frequency #156 among 1,433 “U” headwords. 2 recorded senses keep meaning in play.

Our generated misspelling index lists 4 likely wrong-spelling variants for used, with forms such as "uesd", "usde", and "usedd". 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, "USS", "UST", "ute", 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 Middle English used, equivalent to use + -ed. The correct English form is used, spelled U-S-E-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    simple past and past participle of use
  2. 2
    In used to.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how used appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. You used me! You never loved me at all!
  2. In 1866 Colonel J. F. Meline noted that the rebozo had almost disappeared in Santa Fe and that hoop skirts, on sale in the stores, were being widely used.

Etymology

From Middle English used, equivalent to use + -ed.

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • uesd
  • usde
  • usedd
  • ussed

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of used - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

uesd2usde2usedd1ussed1
Edit distance from "used"

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 "used"?
"used" is spelled U-S-E-D. The IPA pronunciation is /juːzd/.
What does "used" mean?
As a verb, "used" means: simple past and past participle of use
What words are commonly confused with "used"?
"used" is commonly confused with "USS", "UST", "ute". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "used"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "used" is /juːzd/. 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 "used"?
From Middle English used, equivalent to use + -ed. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "used", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 4 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

both#157same#155come#161look#151

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list