forthwith

/fɔːθˈwɪð/

//fɔːθˈwɪð// adv

"forthwith" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“forthwith” has 15 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #44,210. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#44,210
frequency rank, English
2,507
“F” headwords
15
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Without delay; immediately.

Corpus desk

Index EN-forthwith · forthwith · English

forthwith · rank #44,210 · 15 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #44,210
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 15 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,507
  • PHOTO-FINISH Folkestone

Nearest frequency peer: Folkestone (-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 “forthwith”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “forthwith” 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 forthwith
PropertyValue
Headwordforthwith
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/fɔːθˈwɪð/
Letters9
Frequency rank#44,210
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “forthwith”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).forthwithlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “Folkestone” (#44,209), “Frampton” (#44,211), “folate” (#44,208). Among 2,507 “F” headwords, “forthwith” is #44,210. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 15 spelling variants around forthwith (IPA /fɔːθˈwɪð/), anadverb. Corpus frequency is #44,210 among 2,507 “F” headwords. Dominant gloss: "Without delay; immediately.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for forthwith, with forms such as "fforthwith", "forhtwith", and "forrthwith". 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. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English forth-with (“at once, immediately; at the same time, already; straight ahead”) [and other forms], partly from the phrase forth with (something), and partly from forth-with-al, furth-with-al (“at once, immediately; together with”) (whence… The correct English form is forthwith, spelled F-O-R-T-H-W-I-T-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    Without delay; immediately.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Neyther euery thynge, whiche ony maner way is bredde or gendred of man: is forthwith a man (for els lyſe ſholde be called men) But that thynge, whiche is conceyued in the matrice or wombe of a woman, of the very ſubſtaunce of man: [...]
  2. Let ther be Light, ſaid God, and forthwith Light, / Ethereal, firſt of things, quinteſſence pure, / Sprung from the Deep, [...]

Etymology

From Middle English forth-with (“at once, immediately; at the same time, already; straight ahead”) [and other forms], partly from the phrase forth with (something), and partly from forth-with-al, furth-with-al (“at once, immediately; together with”) (whence forthwithal).

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • fforthwith
  • forhtwith
  • forrthwith
  • forthhwith
  • forthiwth
  • forthwiht
  • forthwithh
  • forthwitth
  • forthwtih
  • forthwwith
  • fortthwith
  • fortwhith
  • fotrhwith
  • frothwith
  • ofrthwith

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

fforthwith1forhtwith2forrthwith1forthhwith1forthiwth2forthwiht2forthwithh1forthwitth1
Edit distance from "forthwith"

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 "forthwith"?
"forthwith" is spelled F-O-R-T-H-W-I-T-H. The IPA pronunciation is /fɔːθˈwɪð/.
What does "forthwith" mean?
As an adverb, "forthwith" means: Without delay; immediately.
What are common misspellings of "forthwith"?
Common misspellings include "fforthwith", "forhtwith", "forrthwith", "forthhwith", "forthiwth". The correct spelling is "forthwith".
How do you pronounce "forthwith"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "forthwith" is /fɔːθˈwɪð/. 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 "forthwith"?
From Middle English forth-with (“at once, immediately; at the same time, already; straight ahead”) [and other forms], partly from the phrase forth with (something), and partly from forth-with-al, furth-with-al (“at once, immediately; together with... 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 "forthwith", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (15 here; floor ≥5).

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list