schlechterdings

[ˈʃlɛçtɐˌdɪŋs]

/[ˈʃlɛçtɐˌdɪŋs]/ adv

The verdict

“schlechterdings” is uncommon German (outside the top frequency list), classed as an adverb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency German
15
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - ganz und gar, alles in allem

Key facts for schlechterdings
PropertyValue
Headwordschlechterdings
LanguageGerman
Part of speechAdverb
IPA[ˈʃlɛçtɐˌdɪŋs]
Letters15
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “schlechterdings” sits in German frequency

schlechterdings falls outside the top-100,000 ranked German words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

schlechterdings is uncommon German outside the top frequency list, classed as anadverb, transcribed [ˈʃlɛçtɐˌdɪŋs]. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "ganz und gar, alles in allem".

Zero misspellings are on record for schlechterdings in our index, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Wiktionary doesn't record an etymology for this headword, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct German form is schlechterdings, spelled S-C-H-L-E-C-H-T-E-R-D-I-N-G-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    ganz und gar, alles in allem

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "schlechterdings"?
"schlechterdings" is spelled S-C-H-L-E-C-H-T-E-R-D-I-N-G-S. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈʃlɛçtɐˌdɪŋs].
What does "schlechterdings" mean?
As an adverb, "schlechterdings" means: ganz und gar, alles in allem
How do you pronounce "schlechterdings"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "schlechterdings" is [ˈʃlɛçtɐˌdɪŋs]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "schlechterdings" come from?
"schlechterdings" is a German word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “schlechterdings”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct German spelling is S-C-H-L-E-C-H-T-E-R-D-I-N-G-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈʃlɛçtɐˌdɪŋs] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more German words and confusable pairs in the same reference. German words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list