Wunschdenken

[ˈvʊnʃˌdɛŋkn̩]

/[ˈvʊnʃˌdɛŋkn̩]/ noun

The verdict

“Wunschdenken” has 20 generated spelling variants in the German index at frequency #35,563. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#35,563
frequency rank, German
38,697
“W” headwords
20
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - hoffnungsvolle Vorstellung von etwas Aktuellem oder Zukünftigem, die zumeist unkritisch ist und die realen Gegebenheiten ignoriert oder verdreht; auf unrealistische, nur den eigenen Wünschen entspr...

Key facts for Wunschdenken
PropertyValue
HeadwordWunschdenken
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[ˈvʊnʃˌdɛŋkn̩]
Letters12
Frequency rank#35,563
Misspellings tracked20
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Wunschdenken” sits in German frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). Wunschdenken lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 20 spelling variants around Wunschdenken (IPA [ˈvʊnʃˌdɛŋkn̩]), anoun. Corpus frequency is #35,563 among 38,697 “W” headwords. Dominant gloss: "hoffnungsvolle Vorstellung von etwas Aktuellem oder Zukünftigem, die zumeist unkritisch ist und die realen Gegebenheiten ignoriert oder verdreht; auf unrealistische, nur den eigenen Wünschen entspr...".

Our generated misspelling index lists 20 likely wrong-spelling variants for Wunschdenken, with forms such as "uwnschdenken", "wnuschdenken", and "wuncshdenken". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Wiktionary doesn't record an etymology for this headword, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct German form is Wunschdenken, spelled W-U-N-S-C-H-D-E-N-K-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    hoffnungsvolle Vorstellung von etwas Aktuellem oder Zukünftigem, die zumeist unkritisch ist und die realen Gegebenheiten ignoriert oder verdreht; auf unrealistische, nur den eigenen Wünschen entsprechende Annahmen und Vorstellungen beruhendes Denken

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: uwnschdenken,wnuschdenken,wuncshdenken,wunnschdenken,wunscchdenken,wunscdhenken,wunschddenken,wunschdeknen,wunschdenekn,wunschdenkenn,wunschdenkken,wunschdenkne,wunschdennken,wunschdneken,wunschednken,wunschhdenken,wunshcdenken,wunsschdenken,wusnchdenken,wwunschdenken

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Wunschdenken - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

uwnschdenken2wnuschdenken2wuncshdenken2wunnschdenken1wunscchdenken1wunscdhenken2wunschddenken1wunschdeknen2
Edit distance from "Wunschdenken"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 German corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Wunschdenken"?
"Wunschdenken" is spelled W-U-N-S-C-H-D-E-N-K-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈvʊnʃˌdɛŋkn̩].
What does "Wunschdenken" mean?
As a noun, "Wunschdenken" means: hoffnungsvolle Vorstellung von etwas Aktuellem oder Zukünftigem, die zumeist unkritisch ist und die realen Gegebenheiten ignoriert oder verdreht; auf unrealistische, nur den eigenen Wünschen entspr...
What are common misspellings of "Wunschdenken"?
Common misspellings include "uwnschdenken", "wnuschdenken", "wuncshdenken", "wunnschdenken", "wunscchdenken". The correct spelling is "Wunschdenken".
How do you pronounce "Wunschdenken"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Wunschdenken" is [ˈvʊnʃˌdɛŋkn̩]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Wunschdenken" come from?
"Wunschdenken" is a German word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
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 “Wunschdenken”

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

  • The one correct German spelling is W-U-N-S-C-H-D-E-N-K-E-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [ˈvʊnʃˌdɛŋkn̩] (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

Same frequency band

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