What the word frequency list shows
The word frequency page ranks the words in our everyday list of about 9,000 words, with the most common at the top. The list focuses on words that carry meaning – nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs – so small grammar words such as the, of and and aren't part of it. Filters let you see the most common words of a given length or part of speech.
How to use it
- Pick a length (optional). Show only words of one length – handy for finding the most common five-letter words, for example.
- Pick a part of speech (optional). Show only nouns, verbs, adjectives or adverbs.
- Read the ranking. Words are listed in order, most common first.
- Copy words. Tap a word to copy it, or collect several in the copy panel. The three-dot menu shows the definition, syllables and more.
How the ranking works
The ranking comes from open word-list data, credited on our credits page, that sorts words by how widely they are used. Treat the order as a guide rather than an exact count: two words a few places apart are about equally common.
The list uses American spellings, such as color, center and gray. Spot a word you don't know? Open its three-dot menu to read the definition.
Ways to use the most common words
Learning English
Common words give you the most value for your effort. Work down the list a few dozen words at a time, and use the part-of-speech filter to learn verbs and nouns separately.
Teaching and lesson planning
Build vocabulary lists that start with the words students meet most often, then move on to rarer ones. The length filter makes it easy to pick short words for younger learners.
Plain, clear writing
Not sure whether a word is too fancy for your readers? If it sits high on the list, most people know it.
Choosing words for games
Guessing games, drawing games and spelling quizzes work best with words everyone knows. Pick from the top of the list for an easy round, or further down for a harder one.
Curiosity
It's fun to see which everyday words rank highest – and which ones you use all the time that sit further down than you'd think.
Tips
- Combine filters. Choose a length and a part of speech together – for example, the most common five-letter verbs.
- Want unusual words instead? Try weird words, vocabulary words or rare words in the random word generator.
- Need more filters? The advanced word search has a "common words only" option alongside patterns, excluded letters and more.
- Browse by length. Lists such as 5-letter words show common words first.
Questions
What are the most common words in English?
This page ranks the most common words in our everyday list, from the top down. Use the length and part-of-speech filters to see the most common words in each group.
Why aren't words like "the" and "and" on the list?
The list is built around words that carry meaning – nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. Small grammar words are left out so the ranking stays useful for vocabulary.
How is word frequency measured here?
The ranking comes from open word-list data that groups words by how widely they are used, listed on our credits page. It's a guide, not an exact count.
Can I see the most common words of a certain length?
Yes. Choose a length, and the list shows only words of that length, still in order.
Can I see only nouns or only verbs?
Yes. Pick a part of speech to show only nouns, verbs, adjectives or adverbs.
How many words are ranked?
The ranking covers our everyday list of about 9,000 familiar English words.
Is the word frequency list free?
Yes – it's free, with no sign-up, no cookies and no tracking.
Last updated October 2, 2026