avast
/əˈvɑːst/
"avast" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“avast” is an uncommon English word, ranked #55,930 in English word frequency and used as an interjection.
- #55,930
- frequency rank, English
- 5
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Hold fast!; cease!; stop!
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | avast |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Interjection |
| IPA | /əˈvɑːst/ |
| Letters | 5 |
| Frequency rank | #55,930 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “avast” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for avast is 5 letters long, classified as an interjection, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˈvɑːst/. Corpus data places it at rank #55,930 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
avast has no tracked misspelling variants, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.
Etymologically, the entry records: Probably borrowed from Dutch hou vast, houd vast (“hold fast!”), from houd (imperative of houden, “to hold”) + vast (“fast, firm, tight”). Doublet of hold fast. The correct English form is avast, spelled A-V-A-S-T.
Definition
- 1Hold fast!; cease!; stop!
- 2In imitation of pirates: listen!; pay attention!
Etymology
Probably borrowed from Dutch hou vast, houd vast (“hold fast!”), from houd (imperative of houden, “to hold”) + vast (“fast, firm, tight”). Doublet of hold fast.
Synonyms
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 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “avast”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is A-V-A-S-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /əˈvɑːst/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English 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.