for good

/fə ˈɡʊd/

//fə ˈɡʊd// prep_phrase

"for-good" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“for good” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a prep_phrase. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - In a way that is conclusive and final.

Corpus desk

Index EN-for-good · for good · English

for good · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 8 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.

Key facts for for good
PropertyValue
Headwordfor good
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechPrep_phrase
IPA/fə ˈɡʊd/
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “for good” in English

for goodsits beyond the 100,000 most-frequent English words, in the long tail of technical, archaic, or otherwise rare vocabulary where spelling doubt tends to strike hardest.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

for good is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as aprep_phrase, transcribed /fə ˈɡʊd/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "In a way that is conclusive and final.".

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for for good, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. Our dataset records no confusable match here, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From for (“over (a period of time)”, preposition) + good (“of an action: complete, thorough, utter”, adjective). The correct English form is for good, spelled F-O-R- -G-O-O-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    In a way that is conclusive and final.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. A bad haircut is no fun, but at least you’re not stuck with it for good, only until it grows out.
  2. This day I left Chelsea for good (that's a genteel phrase) and am got into Suffolk street.

Etymology

From for (“over (a period of time)”, preposition) + good (“of an action: complete, thorough, utter”, adjective).

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "for good"?
"for good" is spelled F-O-R- -G-O-O-D. The IPA pronunciation is /fə ˈɡʊd/.
What does "for good" mean?
As a prep_phrase, "for good" means: In a way that is conclusive and final.
How do you pronounce "for good"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "for good" is /fə ˈɡʊd/. 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 "for good"?
From for (“over (a period of time)”, preposition) + good (“of an action: complete, thorough, utter”, adjective). 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.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list