diff --git a/lucene/src/java/org/apache/lucene/index/IndexWriter.java b/lucene/src/java/org/apache/lucene/index/IndexWriter.java
index af143606cff..34b13037cc0 100644
--- a/lucene/src/java/org/apache/lucene/index/IndexWriter.java
+++ b/lucene/src/java/org/apache/lucene/index/IndexWriter.java
@@ -3255,7 +3255,7 @@ public class IndexWriter implements Closeable {
     // NOTE: the callers of this method should in theory
     // be able to do simply wait(), but, as a defense
     // against thread timing hazards where notifyAll()
-    // falls to be called, we wait for at most 1 second
+    // fails to be called, we wait for at most 1 second
     // and then return so caller can check if wait
     // conditions are satisfied:
     try {