clasp
/klæsp/
"clasp" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“clasp” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #25,321 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #25,321
- frequency rank, English
- 5
- letters
- 7
- tracked misspellings
- 20
- confusable pairs
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A device with interlocking parts used for fastening things together, such as a fastener or a holder.
Visual similarity to commonly confused words
How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).
Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | clasp |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /klæsp/ |
| Letters | 5 |
| Frequency rank | #25,321 |
| Misspellings tracked | 7 |
| Confusable pairs | 20 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “clasp” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for clasp is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /klæsp/. Corpus data places it at rank #25,321 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for clasp, with forms such as "calsp", "cclasp", and "claspp". 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. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "CSP", "CLP", "crap", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.
Etymologically, the entry records: Noun dated ca. 1300 and verb dated ca. 1400; from Middle English claspe (“metal catch or hook used to hold things together”), possible metathesis of clapse, which comes from or related to Old English clyppan (“clasp”) (also see clip (verb)). Related to Engl… The correct English form is clasp, spelled C-L-A-S-P.
Definition
- 1A device with interlocking parts used for fastening things together, such as a fastener or a holder.
- 2A bar or insignia on a medal ribbon, to either indicate an additional award of the medal, or the action or service for which it was awarded.
- 3An embrace, a grasp, or handshake.
Etymology
Noun dated ca. 1300 and verb dated ca. 1400; from Middle English claspe (“metal catch or hook used to hold things together”), possible metathesis of clapse, which comes from or related to Old English clyppan (“clasp”) (also see clip (verb)). Related to English enclasp (“embrace, hold tightly in one's arms”). Compare hasp, of very similar meaning but older known provenance.
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: calsp,cclasp,claspp,classp,cllasp,clsap,lcasp
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of clasp - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.
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 “clasp”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is C-L-A-S-P - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /klæsp/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Don't mix it up with “CSP” - see the side-by-side comparison. clasp vs CSP
- 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.