Checking autocorrect to spell ‘bougie’ or ‘ukulele’? You’re not alone

The word “basically” — B-A-S-I-C-A-L-L-Y — would seem to be among the most basic of basic words.

It’s the sort of word that would likely be easy first-round fodder for competitors at next week’s annual Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.

But spelling the seven-letter adverb is apparently anything but, well, basic for many Utahns.

“Basically” is the Beehive State’s most misspelled word, according to a Google Trends/Ahrefs search data analysis from Unscramblerer.com, an online tool for folks who love word games involving spelling, anagrams and crossword puzzles.

Tangentially, “basically” earns 18 Scrabble points.

But why “basically” befuddles Utah spellers is a national anomaly. No other states from the Unscramblerer.com analysis list that word at the top of their respective most misspelled list.

Meanwhile, “bougie” — that popular slang word for being high-class or overly concerned with wealth and status — sits atop the national catalog.

Here’s America’s most misspelled word top 10 list:

1. Bougie
2. Favorite
3. Through
4. Business
5. Tomorrow
6. Because
7. Definitely
8. Beautiful
9. Niece
10. Separate

What spellings perplex Utahns?

Utah spellers, meanwhile, apparently aren’t flummoxed by “bougie.”

It didn’t crack the Beehive State’s Top 10 misspelled word list:

1. Basically
2. Because
3. Favorite
4. Through
5. Business
6. Gorgeous
7. Machine
8. Resources
9. Character
10. Beautiful

An Unscramblerer.com spokesperson noted its 2026 misspelled words analysis is a reminder that English spelling and pronunciations are often irregular. And common words such as “through” and “character” contain silent letters — while others contain double consonants, such as “business” and “necessary” and, yes, “basically.”

And here’s a “spell-it-right” warning/advice from the word tool’s website: “Studies show that reliance on autocorrect and AI deteriorates the authors’ spelling ability over time.

“To combat this digital amnesia, we encourage everybody to search for the correct spelling of the word when a feeling of doubt arises.”

Don’t ask Minnesotans to spell ‘ukulele’

While “basically” is the word reportedly most likely to trip up Utah spellers, a curious list of “most misspelled words” are found atop other states, according to Unscramblerer.com.

Both Georgia and Wyoming spellers struggle with “chihuahua,” while neighboring North Carolina and Virginia find “spaghetti” a tough spell.

Several states — Alabama, Maryland, Mississippi and Wisconsin — are most vexed by “business,” while Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Vermont and West Virginia all reportedly struggle spelling “beautiful.”

And the most misspelled word in Minnesota? “Ukulele.”

Can you use ‘eclaircissement’ in the form of a sentence?

May has become synonymous with spelling, with the annual nationally televised Scripps National Spelling Bee held this year on May 26-27, in Washington, D.C.

Almost 250 spellers from around the United States and several other countries have advanced through regional spelling bees to compete in next week’s “Scripps” — the Super Bowl of spelling bees.

Four Utah kids, according to the competition website, will vie for the national spelling title: Park City’s Wesley Kenlon, Price’s Ashley Bryner, and, from Salt Lake City, Roshan Kaushik and Ray Mishra.

Last year, 13-year-old Faizan Zaki claimed the Scripps spelling bee crown after correctly spelling “eclaircissement” — a word of French origin that means enlightenment, or the clearing up of something obscure.

And it really does pay to enrich your word power. The Dallas, Texas, teen pocketed $50,000 for winning the spelling event.