hackneyed

/ˈhækniːd/

//ˈhækniːd// adj

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

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

The verdict

“hackneyed” is uncommon English (frequency #59,436 among 2,646 “H” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#59,436
frequency rank, English
2,646
“H” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Repeated too often.

Corpus desk

Index EN-hackneyed · hackneyed · English

hackneyed · rank #59,436 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #59,436
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,646
  • PHOTO-FINISH haar

Nearest frequency peer: haar (-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.

Frequency neighbourhood for “hackneyed”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “hackneyed” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for hackneyed
PropertyValue
Headwordhackneyed
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈhækniːd/
Letters9
Frequency rank#59,436
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “hackneyed” 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). hackneyed lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

hackneyed is uncommon English at frequency #59,436 among 2,646 “H” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˈhækniːd/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

hackneyed doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From hackney + -ed. The correct English form is hackneyed, spelled H-A-C-K-N-E-Y-E-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    Repeated too often.
  2. 2
    Let out for hire.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. The sermon was full of hackneyed phrases and platitudes.
  2. It was a great success, that Irish stew. I don’t think I ever enjoyed a meal more. There was something so fresh and piquant about it. One's palate gets so tired of the old hackneyed things: here was a dish with a new flavour, with a taste like nothing else on earth.

Etymology

From hackney + -ed.

Synonyms

banalbromidicquotidianclichédcommonplacecookie-cuttercornydog-earedeverydayhackneyedhoarymehoverdonepatplayed outprosaicshopwornstalestockthreadbaretimeworntiredtriteunoriginalvapidwarmed-overwell-worn

Antonyms

freshneworiginal

This word in other languages

gastado(Español)rebattu(Français)abgedroschen(Deutsch)banal(Português)

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.

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 September 3, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "hackneyed"?
"hackneyed" is spelled H-A-C-K-N-E-Y-E-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhækniːd/.
What does "hackneyed" mean?
As an adjective, "hackneyed" means: Repeated too often.
How do you pronounce "hackneyed"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "hackneyed" is /ˈhækniːd/. 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 "hackneyed"?
From hackney + -ed. 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 "hackneyed", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

Guinevere#59,429gradation#59,425ginormous#59,419fungicide#59,407

What to do next

You've looked up "hackneyed". Here's where to go from here.

  • Usage frequency rank #59,436 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "H" letter cohort. H–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

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