1
: the forming of words from letters according to accepted usage : orthography
2
a
: a sequence of letters composing a word
b
: the way in which a word is spelled
Examples of spelling in a Sentence
The American spelling is “color” while the British spelling is “colour.”
The words “made” and “maid” sound alike but have different spellings.
Recent Examples on the Web
He was less intimidated by its befuddling organization and had grown accustomed to the antiquated spellings and the nearly illegible, unpunctuated scribblings of harried seventeenth-century officials.
—
Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Quentin for father and son.
—Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 28 Jan. 2026
The letters were filled with spelling and grammar mistakes, and also with bizarre phrases, which, to those who knew Koren well, instantly identified him as the author.
—Ben Taub, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Names such as Charleigh, Alivia, Maddison, or Emmitt — nontraditional ways of spelling more popular names — are falling fast.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spelling
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Quentin for father and son.
—Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 28 Jan. 2026
The letters were filled with spelling and grammar mistakes, and also with bizarre phrases, which, to those who knew Koren well, instantly identified him as the author.
—Ben Taub, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Names such as Charleigh, Alivia, Maddison, or Emmitt — nontraditional ways of spelling more popular names — are falling fast.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spelling
Cite this Entry
“Spelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spelling. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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