spelling: words ending in “-ise” and “-ize”

The following are the only common words ending in –ise (apart from words ending in the suffix -wise):

  • advertise
  • advise
  • apprise
  • arise
  • chastise
  • circumcise
  • comprise
  • compromise
  • demise
  • despise
  • devise
  • disenfranchise
  • disfranchise
  • disguise
  • enfranchise
  • enterprise
  • excise
  • exercise
  • franchise
  • guise
  • improvise
  • incise
  • merchandise
  • mortise
  • premise
  • reprise
  • revise
  • supervise
  • surmise
  • surprise
  • televise

Note that the suffix -ise cannot be replaced with -ize in the words listed above.

Use the suffix -ize for most other words, including civilize, criticize, italicize, itemize, memorize and organize.

Copyright notice for Writing Tips Plus

© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Public Services and Procurement
A tool created and made available online by the Translation Bureau, Public Services and Procurement Canada

Search by related themes

Want to learn more about a theme discussed on this page? Click on a link below to see all the pages on the Language Portal of Canada that relate to the theme you selected. The search results will be displayed in Language Navigator.