varying

/ˈvɛəɹiɪŋ/

//ˈvɛəɹiɪŋ// verb

"varying" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“varying” has 11 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #7,517. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#7,517
frequency rank, English
7,391
“V” headwords
11
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - present participle and gerund of vary

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

varying vs vying
71% similar
varying vs vaping
71% similar

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

Key facts for varying
PropertyValue
Headwordvarying
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈvɛəɹiɪŋ/
Letters7
Frequency rank#7,517
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “varying” 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). varying 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 11 spelling variants around varying (IPA /ˈvɛəɹiɪŋ/), averb. Corpus frequency is #7,517 among 7,391 “V” headwords. Dominant gloss: "present participle and gerund of vary".

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for varying, with forms such as "avrying", "variyng", and "varrying". 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 2 confusable-pair relationships, "vying", "vaping", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Our source data has no etymology on file for this entry, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct English form is varying, spelled V-A-R-Y-I-N-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    present participle and gerund of vary

Antonyms

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • avrying
  • variyng
  • varrying
  • varyign
  • varyingg
  • varyinng
  • varynig
  • varyying
  • vayring
  • vraying
  • vvarying

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

avrying2variyng2varrying1varyign2varyingg1varyinng1varynig2varyying1
Edit distance from "varying"

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 "varying"?
"varying" is spelled V-A-R-Y-I-N-G. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈvɛəɹiɪŋ/.
What does "varying" mean?
As a verb, "varying" means: present participle and gerund of vary
What words are commonly confused with "varying"?
"varying" is commonly confused with "vying", "vaping". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "varying"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "varying" is /ˈvɛəɹiɪŋ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "varying" come from?
"varying" is a English word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
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 “varying”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is V-A-R-Y-I-N-G - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈvɛəɹiɪŋ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “vying” - see the side-by-side comparison. varying vs vying
  • 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