flushing

/ˈflʌʃɪŋ/

//ˈflʌʃɪŋ// noun

"flushing" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“flushing” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #17,144 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#17,144
frequency rank, English
8
letters
13
tracked misspellings
5
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act by which something is flushed.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

flushing vs fusing
75% similar
flushing vs fussing
75% similar
flushing vs fishing
75% similar

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

Key facts for flushing
PropertyValue
Headwordflushing
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈflʌʃɪŋ/
Letters8
Frequency rank#17,144
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs5
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “flushing” 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). flushing 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 flushing is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈflʌʃɪŋ/. Corpus data places it at rank #17,144 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 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for flushing, with forms such as "fflushing", "fllushing", and "flsuhing". 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. It also participates in 5 confusable-pair relationships, "fusing", "fussing", "fishing", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English flusshyng, flusshynge, equivalent to flush + -ing. The correct English form is flushing, spelled F-L-U-S-H-I-N-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act by which something is flushed.
  2. 2
    Rushing of blood to the skin's surface, especially on the face, as happens under various physiological circumstances (e.g., in embarrassment or stress or during menopause).

Etymology

From Middle English flusshyng, flusshynge, equivalent to flush + -ing.

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: fflushing,fllushing,flsuhing,fluhsing,flushhing,flushign,flushingg,flushinng,flushnig,flusihng,flusshing,fulshing,lfushing

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of flushing - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

fflushing1fllushing1flsuhing2fluhsing2flushhing1flushign2flushingg1flushinng1
Edit distance from "flushing"

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 "flushing"?
"flushing" is spelled F-L-U-S-H-I-N-G. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈflʌʃɪŋ/.
What does "flushing" mean?
As a noun, "flushing" means: The act by which something is flushed.
What words are commonly confused with "flushing"?
"flushing" is commonly confused with "fusing", "fussing", "fishing". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "flushing"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "flushing" is /ˈflʌʃɪŋ/. 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 "flushing"?
From Middle English flusshyng, flusshynge, equivalent to flush + -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 “flushing”

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

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