check out

verb

"check-out" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“check out” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To record the departure or withdrawal of someone or something (such as guests, employees, books, etc.).

Key facts for check out
PropertyValue
Headwordcheck out
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
Letters9
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “check out” sits in English frequency

check out falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English 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.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for check out is 9 letters long, classified as a verb. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 10 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for check out, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct English form is check out, spelled C-H-E-C-K- -O-U-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    To record the departure or withdrawal of someone or something (such as guests, employees, books, etc.).
  2. 2
    To record one's departure from a workplace, hotel, restaurant, etc.
  3. 3
    To examine, inspect, look at closely, ogle; to investigate; to gather information so as to make a decision.
  4. 4
    To obtain source code (or other material) from a source control repository so that one can modify it (and often later check in the modified version back).
  5. 5
    To become uninterested in an activity and cease to participate in more than a perfunctory manner; to become uncooperative.
  6. 6
    To become catatonic or otherwise nonresponsive.
  7. 7
    To leave in a hurry.
  8. 8
    To die.
  9. 9
    To prove (after an investigation) to be the case, or to be in order.
  10. 10
    To visit the oche for the last time and clear one's remaining points to win the game.

Antonyms

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 "check out"?
"check out" is spelled C-H-E-C-K- -O-U-T.
What does "check out" mean?
As a verb, "check out" means: To record the departure or withdrawal of someone or something (such as guests, employees, books, etc.).
What language does "check out" come from?
"check out" is a English word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
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 “check out”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is C-H-E-C-K- -O-U-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • 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.

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

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