dent

/dɛnt/

//dɛnt// noun

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

"dent" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“dent” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #11,678 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#11,678
frequency rank, English
4
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A shallow deformation in the surface of an object, produced by an impact.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

dent vs DT
0% similar
dent vs don
50% similar
dent vs DNA
0% similar

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

Key facts for dent
PropertyValue
Headworddent
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/dɛnt/
Letters4
Frequency rank#11,678
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “dent” 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). dent 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 dent is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /dɛnt/. Corpus data places it at rank #11,678 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for dent, with forms such as "ddent", "dennt", and "dentt". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "DT", "don", "DNA", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English dent, dente, dint (“a blow; strike; dent”), from Old English dynt (“blow, strike, the mark or noise of a blow”), from Proto-Germanic *duntiz (“a blow”). Akin to Old Norse dyntr (“dint”). Doublet of dint. The correct English form is dent, spelled D-E-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    A shallow deformation in the surface of an object, produced by an impact.
  2. 2
    A minor effect made upon something.
  3. 3
    A type of maize/corn with a relatively soft outer hull, and a soft type of starch that shrinks at maturity to leave an indentation in the surface of the kernel.
  4. 4
    A sudden negative change, such as loss, damage, weakening, consumption or diminution, especially one produced by an external force, event or action

Etymology

From Middle English dent, dente, dint (“a blow; strike; dent”), from Old English dynt (“blow, strike, the mark or noise of a blow”), from Proto-Germanic *duntiz (“a blow”). Akin to Old Norse dyntr (“dint”). Doublet of dint.

This word in other languages

abolladura(Español)bosse(Français)Delle(Deutsch)amolgadela(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddent,dennt,dentt,detn,dnet,ednt

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ddent1dennt1dentt1detn2dnet2ednt2
Edit distance from "dent"

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 "dent"?
"dent" is spelled D-E-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /dɛnt/.
What does "dent" mean?
As a noun, "dent" means: A shallow deformation in the surface of an object, produced by an impact.
What words are commonly confused with "dent"?
"dent" is commonly confused with "DT", "don", "DNA". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "dent"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "dent" is /dɛnt/. 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 "dent"?
From Middle English dent, dente, dint (“a blow; strike; dent”), from Old English dynt (“blow, strike, the mark or noise of a blow”), from Proto-Germanic *duntiz (“a blow”). Akin to Old Norse dyntr (“dint”). Doublet of dint. 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 “dent”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is D-E-N-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /dɛnt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “DT” - see the side-by-side comparison. dent vs DT
  • 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