The Words Americans Say They Can Never Spell Right

Even the best spellers can have their kryptonite words, and the internet has spoken: these are the words that trip people up every single time.

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Whether it’s thanks to confusing rules or just too many double letters, here are some of the most relatable spelling struggles:

1. Maintenance: “When I try to spell it out, my brain just short circuits.”
2. Diarrhea: “It’s always a big mess. My spelling, that is.”
3. Convenience: Someone said, “I wanted to say this too, but couldn’t spell it.”
4. Boutonnière: Yes, even wedding photographers can’t get it right.
5. Necessary: Just remember: One C, two Ss.
6. Occasionally: Two Cs, one S.
7. Accommodate: Two Cs, two Ms.
8. Embarrass: Two Rs, two Ss.
9. Receipt: “I before E,” except after C—except for all the exceptions.
10. Seize: Another exception. English is wild.
11. Conscientious and conscience: Both equally maddening.
12. Rhythm: No vowels, just chaos.
13. Restaurant: An endless source of confusion.
14. Refrigerator: That disappearing “D” from “fridge” throws everyone off.
15. Privilege: Tricky, even for those with spell check.
16. Definitely: The classic mistake? Spelling it as “defiantly.”
17. Nauseous: Nobody feels good about this one.
18. Alcohol: Somehow, even sober people struggle.
19. Hemorrhoids: Enough said.
20. Wednesday and February: Preemptive reminder: Tomorrow is a Wednesday in February. Good luck.

And don’t even get us started on the words that are technically correct in two forms:

• Cancelled vs. canceled
• Judgement vs. judgment
• Axe vs. ax

Who knew spelling could be this stressful?