A new analysis has identified the most commonly misspelled words in the United States, with 'bougie' taking the top spot. The study, conducted by Word Unscrambler, examined Google Trends data from January 1 to May 18 to determine which words Americans find most challenging to spell.
Top Misspelled Words Nationwide
According to the analysis, the five most misspelled words in America are 'bougie,' 'favorite,' 'through,' 'business,' and 'tomorrow.' Experts looked at search queries such as 'How do you spell' and 'How to spell' to identify these words. The word 'bougie' alone generated 134,400 searches this year. Interestingly, this term, a shorthand for 'bourgeois' used to describe something fancy or luxurious, has two accepted spellings: 'bougie' and 'boujee,' according to Merriam-Webster.
The next five most commonly misspelled words are 'because,' 'definitely,' 'beautiful,' 'niece,' and 'separate.' A spokesperson for Word Unscrambler explained that many of these words are difficult due to silent letters, irregular vowel sounds, challenging consonant blends, and double letters.
State-by-State Spelling Struggles
The analysis also broke down the most misspelled words by state. For instance, 'beautiful' is the top misspelled word in Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Vermont, and West Virginia. 'Because' stumps residents of Indiana, Missouri, New Jersey, and Ohio. 'Business' proves challenging in Alabama, Maryland, Mississippi, and Wisconsin.
The word 'chihuahua' tops the list in Georgia, Oklahoma, and Wyoming. This is unsurprising given that the dog breed is particularly popular in Georgia and Oklahoma, ranking second nationwide according to a U.S. News & World Report study from August 2025. 'Appreciate' is most problematic in Hawaii and Montana, while 'bougie' leads in New Hampshire and Rhode Island.
'Color' is the most misspelled word in Colorado and Illinois, and 'congratulations' perplexes residents of Nebraska and South Dakota. 'Definitely' challenges those in Kentucky and Maine, while 'schedule' is difficult in Kansas and Massachusetts. 'Spaghetti' stumps North Carolina and Virginia, and 'through' troubles Arizona and Tennessee.
Other State-Specific Misspellings
- California: Different
- Connecticut: Recommend
- Florida: School
- Idaho: Necessary
- Iowa: Character
- Louisiana: Restaurant
- Michigan: Which
- Minnesota: Ukulele
- Nevada: Teacher
- New Mexico: Sincerely
- New York: Judgement
- North Dakota: Adios
- Oregon: Diamond
- Pennsylvania: Maintenance
- South Carolina: Quite
- Texas: Recycle
- Utah: Basically
- Washington: Fiancé
Spelling Bee Inspiration
For those looking to improve their spelling, the Scripps National Spelling Bee is scheduled to take place from next Tuesday through Thursday. This student competition has been a tradition for over a century. Last year, 13-year-old Faizan Zaki from Dallas won the championship by correctly spelling the French word 'éclaircissement,' meaning to clarify something obscure.
