flabbergast
/ˈflæbə(ˌ)ɡɑːst/
"flabbergast" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“flabbergast” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 11
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To overwhelm with bewilderment; to amaze, confound, or stun, especially in a ludicrous manner.
Corpus desk
Index EN-flabbergast · flabbergast · English
flabbergast · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables
- FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
- LEN-MEGA 11 letters
- VOW-3 3 vowels
- CONFUS-0 No pairs
- VAR-0 0 variants
- BOOK-THIN "F" thin
- PHOTO-UNK Peer pending
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.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | flabbergast |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| IPA | /ˈflæbə(ˌ)ɡɑːst/ |
| Letters | 11 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “flabbergast” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
flabbergast is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈflæbə(ˌ)ɡɑːst/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "To overwhelm with bewilderment; to amaze, confound, or stun, especially in a ludicrous manner.".
flabbergast doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: The origin of the verb is uncertain; possibly dialectal (Suffolk), from flabby or flap (“to strike”) + aghast. The word may be related to Scottish flabrigast (“to boast”) or flabrigastit (“worn out with exertion”). The noun is derived from the verb. The correct English form is flabbergast, spelled F-L-A-B-B-E-R-G-A-S-T.
Definition
- 1To overwhelm with bewilderment; to amaze, confound, or stun, especially in a ludicrous manner.
Recorded use
Wiktionary examplesThese source excerpts show how flabbergast appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.
He was flabbergasted to find that his work had been done for him before he began.
Her stupidity flabbergasts me, and I have to force myself to keep a straight face while she explains her beliefs.
Etymology
The origin of the verb is uncertain; possibly dialectal (Suffolk), from flabby or flap (“to strike”) + aghast. The word may be related to Scottish flabrigast (“to boast”) or flabrigastit (“worn out with exertion”). The noun is derived from the verb.
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 6, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.
Frequently Asked Questions
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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.