foothold

/ˈfʊthoʊld/

//ˈfʊthoʊld// noun

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

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

The verdict

“foothold” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #26,426. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#26,426
frequency rank, English
2,507
“F” headwords
12
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A solid grip with the feet.

Corpus desk

Index EN-foothold · foothold · English

foothold · rank #26,426 · 12 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #26,426
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-MID 12 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,507
  • PHOTO-FINISH flexing

Nearest frequency peer: flexing (-1 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 “foothold”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “foothold” 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 foothold
PropertyValue
Headwordfoothold
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈfʊthoʊld/
Letters8
Frequency rank#26,426
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “foothold”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).footholdlands 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 “flexing” (#26,425), “forbidding” (#26,427), “fink” (#26,424). Among 2,507 “F” headwords, “foothold” is #26,426. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 12 spelling variants around foothold (IPA /ˈfʊthoʊld/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #26,426 among 2,507 “F” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for foothold, with forms such as "ffoothold", "foohtold", and "foothhold". 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. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From foot + hold. The correct English form is foothold, spelled F-O-O-T-H-O-L-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    A solid grip with the feet.
  2. 2
    A secure position from which it is difficult to be dislodged.
  3. 3
    Airhead, beachhead, bridgehead, lodgement.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. I’ve always looked for a secure foothold A secret formula that can free me from myself
  2. Based on status report 16-C, it seems we're no closer to gaining a foothold in any sector. Without decent recon and greater intel on this enemy, I'm starting to think our efforts are futile. The risks involved and continued loss of resources and lives makes it hard to justify.

Etymology

From foot + hold.

This word in other languages

point d'appui(Français)Halt(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ffoothold
  • foohtold
  • foothhold
  • foothlod
  • foothodl
  • footholdd
  • footholld
  • footohld
  • footthold
  • fothold
  • fotohold
  • ofothold

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ffoothold1foohtold2foothhold1foothlod2foothodl2footholdd1footholld1footohld2
Edit distance from "foothold"

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 "foothold"?
"foothold" is spelled F-O-O-T-H-O-L-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈfʊthoʊld/.
What does "foothold" mean?
As a noun, "foothold" means: A solid grip with the feet.
What are common misspellings of "foothold"?
Common misspellings include "ffoothold", "foohtold", "foothhold", "foothlod", "foothodl". The correct spelling is "foothold".
How do you pronounce "foothold"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "foothold" is /ˈfʊthoʊld/. 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 "foothold"?
From foot + hold. 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 "foothold", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

ejection#26,406Gretchen#26,447hairline#26,451dilution#26,400

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (12 here; floor ≥5).

ghastly12 variantsgymnast12 variantsharrowing12 variantshorseman12 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list