# hangman

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈhæŋˌmæn/ · frequency rank #42,688

## Definitions
1. An executioner responsible for hanging criminals.
2. Someone responsible for hanging pictures and other artworks in a gallery, museum etc.
3. A guessing game where one has to guess the word an opponent is thinking of by guessing one letter at a time, and involving the gradual drawing of a stick figure hanging from the gallows.

## Etymology
Inherited from Middle English hangman, hongman, hangeman, equivalent to hang + -man.

## Easily confused with
- **Harman** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hangman-vs-harman)
- **Hartman** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hangman-vs-hartman)
- **hardman** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hangman-vs-hardman)
- **Hanuman** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hangman-vs-hanuman)
- **Hagan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hagan-vs-hangman)
- **hangar** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hangar-vs-hangman)
- **handyman** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/handyman-vs-hangman)

## Common misspellings (11)
`ahngman`, `hagnman`, `hangamn`, `hanggman`, `hangmann`, `hangmman`, `hangmna`, `hanmgan`, `hanngman`, `hhangman`, `hnagman`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/hangman