The Scripps National Spelling Bee is underway, marking its 97th anniversary this year!  More than 240 students will compete for the title of best speller in the United States. For Texas' sake, let's hope they don't ask for one specific word.

Texans are known for a lot of things- big trucks, bigger pride, and a unique way with words. But according to a recent study, there's one word that trips up the Lone Star State more than any other. It’s not some complicated medical term or a spelling bee stumper- it’s a word we use all the time. Curious? You might be misspelling it too.

To figure out which word Texans just can’t seem to spell, the team at WordUnscrambler.pro did some digital sleuthing. They analyzed Google Trends data from January 1 to May 19, 2025, looking specifically at searches like “How do you spell…” and “How to spell…”- you know, the kind of thing we all secretly Google when we’re writing an email and second-guessing ourselves.

Using that data along with keyword insights from Ahrefs, they tallied up over 120 variations of these spelling-related searches. From common phrases like “spell beautiful” to more desperate queries like “how do I spell beautiful,” the researchers zeroed in on which words tripped up Americans the most- and which one stood out as the biggest brain-boggler in Texas.

What's the Most Commonly Misspelled Word in Texas?

So, what’s the word that’s got Texans second-guessing their spelling skills? Believe it or not, it’s “protect.” Yep- simple, everyday protect. Maybe it’s the silent “c” that throws people off or just a momentary brain glitch while typing, but according to the data, Texans searched for how to spell this word more than any other. Of all the words in the dictionary, it’s this basic one that’s causing the most confusion.

Texas isn’t alone in the spelling struggle, either. Other states had their own surprising front-runners- like “different” in New York and “school” in Nevada. It turns out that even the simplest words can tie our brains in knots when we’re typing fast, second-guessing ourselves, or relying a little too much on autocorrect.

So the next time you find yourself typing “how do you spell protect” into Google, just know- you’re in good company. Whether it’s writing an email, filling out a form, or posting on social media, we’ve all had that moment of doubt. And hey, at least now, maybe you’ll remember how to spell "protect"!