cliffhanger
/ˌklɪfˈhæŋ.ə(ɹ)/
"cliffhanger" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“cliffhanger” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #35,220 in English word frequency and used as a noun.
- #35,220
- frequency rank, English
- 11
- letters
- 16
- tracked misspellings
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An ending or stopping point calculated to leave a story unresolved, in order to create suspense.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | cliffhanger |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /ˌklɪfˈhæŋ.ə(ɹ)/ |
| Letters | 11 |
| Frequency rank | #35,220 |
| Misspellings tracked | 16 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “cliffhanger” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for cliffhanger is 11 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌklɪfˈhæŋ.ə(ɹ)/. Corpus data places it at rank #35,220 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.
Our generated misspelling index lists 16 likely wrong-spelling variants for cliffhanger, with forms such as "ccliffhanger", "cilffhanger", and "clfifhanger". 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. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.
Etymologically, the entry records: From cliff + hanger, evoking the image of someone left hanging from a cliff, thereby having an uncertain fate. The term "cliffhanger" is considered to have originated with the serialised version of Thomas Hardy's "A Pair of Blue Eyes", published in Tinsley'… The correct English form is cliffhanger, spelled C-L-I-F-F-H-A-N-G-E-R.
Definition
- 1An ending or stopping point calculated to leave a story unresolved, in order to create suspense.
- 2An outcome which is awaited with keen anticipation, especially one which is delayed for a period of time or which is not known until the last minute.
Etymology
From cliff + hanger, evoking the image of someone left hanging from a cliff, thereby having an uncertain fate. The term "cliffhanger" is considered to have originated with the serialised version of Thomas Hardy's "A Pair of Blue Eyes", published in Tinsley's Magazine in the 1870s, in which the character Henry Knight is left hanging off of a cliff. It was inspired by a real life story from his wife Emma's childhood, when she had to rescue one of her school friends from a similar position.
Antonyms
This word in other languages
Common misspellings
Also misspelled as: ccliffhanger,cilffhanger,clfifhanger,cliffahnger,cliffhagner,cliffhanegr,cliffhangerr,cliffhangger,cliffhangre,cliffhannger,cliffhhanger,cliffhnager,clifhanger,clifhfanger,clliffhanger,lciffhanger
Misspelling Pattern Breakdown
How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of cliffhanger - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.
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
How do you spell "cliffhanger"?
What does "cliffhanger" mean?
What are common misspellings of "cliffhanger"?
How do you pronounce "cliffhanger"?
What is the origin of the word "cliffhanger"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “cliffhanger”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is C-L-I-F-F-H-A-N-G-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˌklɪfˈhæŋ.ə(ɹ)/ (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.