dastardly

/ˈdɑːstədli/

//ˈdɑːstədli// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"dastardly" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“dastardly” has 15 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #44,725. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#44,725
frequency rank, English
3,470
“D” headwords
15
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - In the manner of a dastard; marked by cowardice; pusillanimous.

Corpus desk

Index EN-dastardly · dastardly · English

dastardly · rank #44,725 · 15 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #44,725
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 15 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH deadpan

Nearest frequency peer: deadpan (+2 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “dastardly”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “dastardly” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for dastardly
PropertyValue
Headworddastardly
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈdɑːstədli/
Letters9
Frequency rank#44,725
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “dastardly”

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

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “deadpan” (#44,727), “Dagenham” (#44,722), “dachshund” (#44,721). Among 3,470 “D” headwords, “dastardly” is #44,725. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 15 spelling variants around dastardly (IPA /ˈdɑːstədli/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #44,725 among 3,470 “D” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for dastardly, with forms such as "adstardly", "dasatrdly", and "dasstardly". 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 is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From dastard + -ly. The correct English form is dastardly, spelled D-A-S-T-A-R-D-L-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    In the manner of a dastard; marked by cowardice; pusillanimous.
  2. 2
    Treacherous; given to backstabbing.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how dastardly appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. I ask that the Congress declare, that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7th, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.

Etymology

From dastard + -ly.

This word in other languages

ruin(Español)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • adstardly
  • dasatrdly
  • dasstardly
  • dastadrly
  • dastarddly
  • dastardlly
  • dastardlyy
  • dastardyl
  • dastarldy
  • dastarrdly
  • dastradly
  • dasttardly
  • datsardly
  • ddastardly
  • dsatardly

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of dastardly - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

adstardly2dasatrdly2dasstardly1dastadrly2dastarddly1dastardlly1dastardlyy1dastardyl2
Edit distance from "dastardly"

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 "dastardly"?
"dastardly" is spelled D-A-S-T-A-R-D-L-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈdɑːstədli/.
What does "dastardly" mean?
As an adjective, "dastardly" means: In the manner of a dastard; marked by cowardice; pusillanimous.
What are common misspellings of "dastardly"?
Common misspellings include "adstardly", "dasatrdly", "dasstardly", "dastadrly", "dastarddly". The correct spelling is "dastardly".
How do you pronounce "dastardly"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "dastardly" is /ˈdɑːstədli/. 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 "dastardly"?
From dastard + -ly. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "dastardly", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

dachshund#44,721Cotswolds#44,711Corvallis#44,709conniving#44,706

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (15 here; floor ≥5).

desecrated15 variantscountertop15 variantsdocklands15 variantsdominatrix15 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list