askance
/əˈskæns/adverb, adjective, verb
askance is spelled A-S-K-A-N-C-E: 7 letters and 2 syllables. It appears about once in every 8 million words in written English, the 84,254th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adverb, askance means “Of a glance or look: with disapproval, skepticism, or suspicion” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in askance?
| Letters | 7: A-S-K-A-N-C-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 8 million words; the 84,254th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is askance?
Askance appears about once in every 8 million words in written English, the 84,254th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce askance?
- UK /əˈskæns/
- UK /əˈskɑːns/
- US /əˈskæns/
Askance has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-askance.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with askance?
9 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as askance from its last stressed vowel (/æns/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of askance
- askaunce
- askant
- askances present, singular, he/she/it
- askancing participle, present
- askanced participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does askance mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adverb
- 1
Of a glance or look: with disapproval, skepticism, or suspicion.
The beggar asked for change, but the haughty woman only looked at him askance.
- 2
Obliquely, sideways.
adjective
- 1
Turned to the side, especially of the eyes.
verb
- 1
rareTo look at (someone or something) with a sideways glance.
- 2
rareTo turn (one's eye or gaze) to the side.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Askance in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | avec méfiance, de travers |
| German | skeptisch, ablehnend , schief, seitwärts, quer |
| Portuguese | torto , de esguelha, de soslaio, de lado |
| Spanish | con recelo , de reojo, de través, de soslayo |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does askance come from?
Unknown. Possibly from Middle English askances (“as if”), or from Old French a escone (“hidden”) or Italian a scancio (“obliquely”). Compare asquint, Middle English askoyn (“at a slant, askance”), Dutch schuin, schuins (“sideways”), schuiven (“to shove”), schuinte (“slope”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).