Are you spelling it wrong? Discover the most commonly misspelled word in your state!
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Let’s be honest: we’ve all had that moment of panic when we’re writing a birthday card, a thank-you note, or even a quick email, and suddenly—bam!—our mind goes blank.
Is it “definitely” or “definately”? “Separate” or “seperate'” And don’t even get us started on “necessary.” If you’ve ever found yourself typing “how to spell…” into Google, you’re in good company.
In fact, you’re part of a nationwide trend that’s as American as apple pie (which, thankfully, is easy to spell).
Here at The GrayVine, we love a good word game, a crossword puzzle, or a round of Scrabble with the grandkids. But even the best of us can get tripped up by the English language’s quirks.
So, as the Scripps National Spelling Bee buzzes into action, let’s take a look at which words are giving each state the most trouble—and what that says about us as a nation of spellers, storytellers, and searchers.
America’s Most Misspelled Words: The National Top 10
A recent study by WordUnscrambler.pro, using Google Trends data, reveals that Americans are collectively stumped by some surprisingly common words.
The top three offenders? “Definitely,” “separate,” and “necessary.” If you’ve ever hesitated over those, you’re not alone—tens of thousands of people have searched for their correct spelling just this year.
Here’s the full top 10 list of words that have us reaching for the dictionary (or, more likely, our phones):
1. Definitely
2. Separate
3. Necessary
4. Believe
5. Through
6. Gorgeous
7. Neighbor
8. Business
9. Favorite
10. Restaurant
Notice a pattern? Tricky vowel combinations, double letters, and those sneaky “i before e” rules are tripping up spellers from coast to coast.
In earlier news: 10,000 lies and a lawsuit—Google takes action against scammers
State by State: What’s Tripping Up Your Neighbors?
But the fun doesn’t stop there. Each state has its own unique spelling Achilles’ heel, and the results are as quirky and diverse as America itself.
Read next: Step back in time: Can you pass this 1920s word challenge?
What word always trips you up? Do you have a clever trick for remembering a tough spelling? Or maybe you’ve got a funny story about a spelling mishap (we’ve all been there). Share your thoughts, tips, and tales in the comments below!
And if you’re feeling inspired, challenge a friend or family member to a spelling bee of your own. Who knows? You might just discover a new favorite word—or at least learn how to spell “broccoli” once and for all.
Is it “definitely” or “definately”? “Separate” or “seperate'” And don’t even get us started on “necessary.” If you’ve ever found yourself typing “how to spell…” into Google, you’re in good company.
In fact, you’re part of a nationwide trend that’s as American as apple pie (which, thankfully, is easy to spell).
Here at The GrayVine, we love a good word game, a crossword puzzle, or a round of Scrabble with the grandkids. But even the best of us can get tripped up by the English language’s quirks.
So, as the Scripps National Spelling Bee buzzes into action, let’s take a look at which words are giving each state the most trouble—and what that says about us as a nation of spellers, storytellers, and searchers.
America’s Most Misspelled Words: The National Top 10
A recent study by WordUnscrambler.pro, using Google Trends data, reveals that Americans are collectively stumped by some surprisingly common words.
A recent study revealed that “definitely,” “separate,” and “necessary” are the top three words Americans most commonly struggle to spell, based on Google search trends. Image source: CBS Mornings / Youtube.
The top three offenders? “Definitely,” “separate,” and “necessary.” If you’ve ever hesitated over those, you’re not alone—tens of thousands of people have searched for their correct spelling just this year.
Here’s the full top 10 list of words that have us reaching for the dictionary (or, more likely, our phones):
1. Definitely
2. Separate
3. Necessary
4. Believe
5. Through
6. Gorgeous
7. Neighbor
8. Business
9. Favorite
10. Restaurant
Notice a pattern? Tricky vowel combinations, double letters, and those sneaky “i before e” rules are tripping up spellers from coast to coast.
In earlier news: 10,000 lies and a lawsuit—Google takes action against scammers
State by State: What’s Tripping Up Your Neighbors?
But the fun doesn’t stop there. Each state has its own unique spelling Achilles’ heel, and the results are as quirky and diverse as America itself.
- Alabama, Kansas, New York, Wisconsin: “Different” is the word that’s got folks scratching their heads.
- Arkansas: “Quesadilla” is the top search—maybe all that Tex-Mex is making us hungry and confused.
- Colorado: With its military bases, “sergeant” is the word of the hour.
- Delaware, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wyoming: “Beautiful” is the most searched spelling—perhaps inspired by the local scenery.
- California, Washington: “Appreciation” is the word on everyone’s mind (and keyboard).
- Montana, New Mexico: “Appreciate” is the word of choice.
- New Jersey, Illinois: “Congratulations” is the most misspelled—maybe there are a lot of celebrations happening!
Some tricky words with i-e combinations, like “believe” and “neighbor,” also feature prominently among the most misspelt words. Image source: CNBC / Youtube.
- Florida: “Compliment” is the word Floridians are double-checking.
- Arizona, Kentucky, South Carolina, Virginia: "People" is the most searched spelling—simple, but apparently not so easy.
- Maine: "Pneumonia" is the top search (understandable, given those chilly winters).
- Alaska: "Tomorrow" is the word that’s got folks thinking ahead.
- Connecticut: "Schedule" is the word of the day.
- North Carolina: "Secret" is the most misspelled—shh, don’t tell!
- New Hampshire, Texas: "Protect" and "protective" are the top searches.
- Ohio: "Crochet" is the word that’s got Buckeyes in knots.
- Oklahoma: "Patience" is the virtue—and the spelling challenge.
- Pennsylvania: "Scissors" is the word to watch (no running, please!).
- Tennessee: "Broccoli" is the green that’s hard to spell.
- Idaho, Utah: "Definitely" is the top search—no question about it.
- Georgia: "Necessary" is the word that’s, well, necessary to spell correctly.
- Iowa, Louisiana: "Through" is the word that’s tough to get through.
- Oregon: "Business" is the business of spelling.
- Indiana: "Taught" is the word that’s teaching Hoosiers a lesson.
- Nevada: "School" is the word on everyone’s mind.
- Maryland: "Character" is the character-building word.
- Minnesota: "Successful" is the word that’s a challenge to spell successfully.
- Michigan: "Scratch" is the word Michiganders are starting from.
- Missouri: "Temperature" is the hot topic.
- Rhode Island: "Cancelled" is the word that’s not going away.
- North Dakota: "Daughter" is the word that’s got folks stumped.
- Hawaii: "Luau" is the word on everyone’s lips (and search bars).
- Vermont: "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious"—yes, really! Leave it to Vermont to go big.
Read next: Step back in time: Can you pass this 1920s word challenge?
What word always trips you up? Do you have a clever trick for remembering a tough spelling? Or maybe you’ve got a funny story about a spelling mishap (we’ve all been there). Share your thoughts, tips, and tales in the comments below!
And if you’re feeling inspired, challenge a friend or family member to a spelling bee of your own. Who knows? You might just discover a new favorite word—or at least learn how to spell “broccoli” once and for all.
