dashing

/ˈdæʃɪŋ(ɡ)/

//ˈdæʃɪŋ(ɡ)// adj

"dashing" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“dashing” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #20,330 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#20,330
frequency rank, English
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
11
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Spirited, audacious and full of high spirits.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

dashing vs dating
71% similar
dashing vs dusting
71% similar
dashing vs dawning
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for dashing
PropertyValue
Headworddashing
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈdæʃɪŋ(ɡ)/
Letters7
Frequency rank#20,330
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs11
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “dashing” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). dashing lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for dashing is 7 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈdæʃɪŋ(ɡ)/. Corpus data places it at rank #20,330 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 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for dashing, with forms such as "adshing", "dahsing", and "dashhing". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 11 confusable-pair relationships, "dating", "dusting", "dawning", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English daschande, equivalent to dash + -ing. The correct English form is dashing, spelled D-A-S-H-I-N-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    Spirited, audacious and full of high spirits.
  2. 2
    Chic, fashionable.

Etymology

From Middle English daschande, equivalent to dash + -ing.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: adshing,dahsing,dashhing,dashign,dashingg,dashinng,dashnig,dasihng,dasshing,ddashing,dsahing

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of dashing - 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.

adshing2dahsing2dashhing1dashign2dashingg1dashinng1dashnig2dasihng2
Edit distance from "dashing"

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 "dashing"?
"dashing" is spelled D-A-S-H-I-N-G. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈdæʃɪŋ(ɡ)/.
What does "dashing" mean?
As an adjective, "dashing" means: Spirited, audacious and full of high spirits.
What words are commonly confused with "dashing"?
"dashing" is commonly confused with "dating", "dusting", "dawning". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "dashing"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "dashing" is /ˈdæʃɪŋ(ɡ)/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "dashing"?
From Middle English daschande, equivalent to dash + -ing. See the full etymology section above for more details.
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 “dashing”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is D-A-S-H-I-N-G - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈdæʃɪŋ(ɡ)/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “dating” - see the side-by-side comparison. dashing vs dating
  • 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