Style check

Style check detects profane, noninclusive, dialectal, and other potentially problematic language in text. It is built into WProofreader and enabled by default for all users.

Matched text is highlighted with a yellow underline. When a user selects the highlighted text, they see replacement suggestions and a description if available.

Style check is available across all WProofreader-based products and SCAYT. Admins can extend the style checking capabilities by creating custom rules with the style guide builder. For details, see Style guide overview →.

Managing style check

Users can show or hide style suggestions through the product UI by toggling the Style option. This setting is per-user and doesn't affect other users under the same subscription.

Admins can also control style check for all users:

• Disable specific rule categories or individual rules. See How to disable a certain rule or rule category for all users →.

• Hide style suggestions by default while still allowing users to re-enable them through the Style toggle.

• Turn off style suggestions completely so users can't re-enable them through the Style toggle.

For detailed configuration instructions, refer to the WProofreader options reference →.

Built-in rule categories

The following rule categories ship with WProofreader. They are maintained by WebSpellChecker and cover multiple languages.

All languages

Category ID	Description	Example patterns	Example message
WSC_UKRAINIAN_GEO_NAMES	Flags outdated transliterations of Ukrainian geographic names and suggests official Ukrainian versions.	Lvov, L'viv, Donets'k	Consider using the official Ukrainian transliteration for geographic names.

English

Category ID	Description	Example patterns	Example message
WSC_RACE_AND_ETHNICITY_INSULTS	Flags words referencing ethnicity or race that may be considered inappropriate or offensive.	redskin, mulattos	Probably offensive language.
WSC_GENDERED_AND_ABLEIST_LANGUAGE	Flags words or phrases that may be considered discriminating against gender or people with disabilities.	Welshmen, trash man	Probably noninclusive language. Consider unbiased alternative.
WSC_LGBTQIA_INCLUSIVE_LANGUAGE	Flags language that may appear noninclusive or biased toward LGBTQIA+ individuals.	his husband	Probably noninclusive language. Consider unbiased alternatives.
WSC_STRONG_SWEAR_LANGUAGE	Flags swear words recommended to be avoided due to their potential to offend or appear unprofessional.	darkie, nigga	Probably offensive language.
WSC_TALL_MAN_LETTERING	Flags drug names that the FDA has identified as easily confused. Suggests Tall Man lettering format.	oxybutynin, glipizide	Consider using Tall Man lettering to differentiate lookalike drug names.
WSC_DISABILITY_INCLUSIVE_LANGUAGE	Flags language that may appear noninclusive or biased toward people with disabilities.	feeble-minded	Probably noninclusive language. Consider unbiased alternatives.
WSC_SLUR_LANGUAGE*	Flags words that may be interpreted as offensive or insulting.	gypo, loser	Probably offensive language.
WSC_VIOLENCE_MORTALITY*	Flags words connected to sensitive topics like violence or mortality.	kill, hate	Potentially abusive or violent language.

*Disabled by default. Used only for content filtering purposes.

German (de_*)

Category ID	Description	Example patterns	Example message
WSC_STRONG_SWEAR_LANGUAGE	Flags swear words recommended to be avoided due to their potential to offend or appear unprofessional.	Massenwichser, Mondkalb	Eventuell beleidigende Sprache.
WSC_RACE_AND_ETHNICITY_INSULTS	Flags words referencing ethnicity or race that may be considered inappropriate or offensive.	N-Wort, Judenleim	Eventuell beleidigende Sprache.
WSC_ANGLICISM_AND_ALTERNATIVE	Flags established English loanwords in German and suggests suitable German alternatives.	Link, Outsourcing	Dieser englische Begriff ist geläufig, aber es gibt auch eine passende deutsche Alternative.
WSC_FOREIGN_WORDS	Flags English words not yet established as loanwords and suggests German equivalents.	mindfulness, sign-in	Verwenden Sie die etablierte deutsche Entsprechung für Klarheit und Sprachreinheit.

Spanish

Category ID	Description	Example patterns	Example message
WSC_STRONG_SWEAR_LANGUAGE	Flags swear words recommended to be avoided due to their potential to offend or appear unprofessional.	col blanca, culo	Lenguaje posiblemente ofensivo.
WSC_RACE_AND_ETHNICITY_INSULTS	Flags words referencing ethnicity or race that may be considered inappropriate or offensive.	negroide, bachicha	Lenguaje posiblemente ofensivo.
WSC_ANGLICISM_AND_ALTERNATIVE	Flags established English loanwords in Spanish and suggests suitable Spanish alternatives.	fitness, feedback	Este término en inglés es común, pero también existe una alternativa oficial en español.
WSC_FOREIGN_WORDS	Flags English words not yet established as loanwords and suggests Spanish equivalents.	delivery, meeting	Valora emplear términos en español en vez de extranjerismos.

French (France)

Category ID	Description	Example patterns	Example message
WSC_STRONG_SWEAR_LANGUAGE	Flags swear words recommended to be avoided due to their potential to offend or appear unprofessional.	salopard, enfoiré	Langage potentiellement offensant.
WSC_RACE_AND_ETHNICITY_INSULTS	Flags words referencing ethnicity or race that may be considered inappropriate or offensive.	cafre, macaroni	Langage potentiellement offensant.
WSC_ANGLICISM_AND_ALTERNATIVE	Flags established English loanwords in French (France) and suggests suitable French alternatives.	fast food, spoiler	Ce terme anglais est courant, mais il existe également une alternative officielle en français.
WSC_FOREIGN_WORDS	Flags English words not yet established as loanwords and suggests French equivalents.	backup, browser	Utilisez des mots français établis pour plus de clarté et de compréhension.

French (Canada)

Category ID	Description	Example patterns	Example message
WSC_STRONG_SWEAR_LANGUAGE	Flags swear words recommended to be avoided due to their potential to offend or appear unprofessional.	salopard, enfoiré	Langage potentiellement offensant.
WSC_RACE_AND_ETHNICITY_INSULTS	Flags words referencing ethnicity or race that may be considered inappropriate or offensive.	cafre, macaroni	Langage potentiellement offensant.
WSC_ANGLICISM_AND_ALTERNATIVE	Flags established English loanwords in French (Canada) and suggests suitable French alternatives.	marketing	Ce terme anglais est courant, mais il existe aussi une alternative officielle en français canadien.
WSC_FOREIGN_WORDS	Flags English words not yet established as loanwords and suggests French Canadian equivalents.	app, outfit	Utilisez des mots français canadiens établis pour plus de clarté et de compréhension.

Portuguese

Category ID	Description	Example patterns	Example message
WSC_ANGLICISM_AND_ALTERNATIVE	Flags established English loanwords in Portuguese and suggests suitable Portuguese alternatives.	cool	Este termo inglês é comum, mas também existe uma alternativa adequada em português.
WSC_FOREIGN_WORDS	Flags English words not yet established as loanwords and suggests Portuguese equivalents.	fan, networking	Considere utilizar termos em português em vez de palavras estrangeiras.

Ukrainian

Category ID	Description	Example patterns	Example message
WSC_STRONG_SWEAR_LANGUAGE	Flags swear words recommended to be avoided due to their potential to offend or appear unprofessional.	дідько, йолоп	Ймовірно, образлива мова.
WSC_ANTYSURZHYK	Flags Russian borrowings and provides Ukrainian equivalents to maintain linguistic purity.	катишки, шпіон	Не використовуйте мовні запозичення з російської мови.
WSC_ANGLICISMS	Flags English words not yet established as loanwords and suggests Ukrainian equivalents.	таба, сорі	Спробуйте використовувати українські терміни замість іноземних слів.
WSC_ANATOMY_SENSITIVE_TERMS*	Flags words connected to sensitive anatomical topics.	лобковий	Цей термін або фраза може звучати образливо в цьому контексті.

*Disabled by default. Used only for content filtering purposes.

Italian

Category ID	Description	Example patterns	Example message
WSC_BLASPHEMY	Flags words or phrases that insult the name of God, Jesus, Mary, the Saints, or sacred things. Also used for content filtering.	porco il cristo	Probabilmente un linguaggio offensivo.
WSC_STRONG_SWEAR_LANGUAGE	Flags swear words recommended to be avoided due to their potential to offend or appear unprofessional.	figlio di puttana	Probabilmente un linguaggio offensivo.
WSC_RACE_AND_ETHNICITY_INSULTS	Flags words referencing ethnicity or race that may be considered inappropriate or offensive.	crucco	Probabilmente un linguaggio offensivo.