hangover

/ˈhæŋoʊvɚ/

//ˈhæŋoʊvɚ// noun

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

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

The verdict

“hangover” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #14,954 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#14,954
frequency rank, English
8
letters
12
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Negative effects, such as headache or nausea, caused by previous drunkenness due to (excessive) consumption of alcohol.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

hangover vs Hanover
75% similar
hangover vs hungover
88% similar
hangover vs hanger
75% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for hangover
PropertyValue
Headwordhangover
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈhæŋoʊvɚ/
Letters8
Frequency rank#14,954
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “hangover” 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). hangover lands here:

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

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

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for hangover is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈhæŋoʊvɚ/. Corpus data places it at rank #14,954 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for hangover, with forms such as "ahngover", "hagnover", and "hanggover". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 4 confusable-pair relationships, "Hanover", "hungover", "hanger", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: American English; hang + over. First sense was first attested in 1904. Second sense was first attested in 1894. The correct English form is hangover, spelled H-A-N-G-O-V-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Negative effects, such as headache or nausea, caused by previous drunkenness due to (excessive) consumption of alcohol.
  2. 2
    Similar negative effects caused by previous excessive consumption of another substance, such as a drug, coffee, sugar, etc.
  3. 3
    An unpleasant relic left from prior events.
  4. 4
    A sleeping arrangement, usually in homeless shelters, over a rope.

Etymology

American English; hang + over. First sense was first attested in 1904. Second sense was first attested in 1894.

This word in other languages

resaca(Español)gueule de bois(Français)Kater(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ahngover,hagnover,hanggover,hangoevr,hangoverr,hangovre,hangovver,hangvoer,hanngover,hanogver,hhangover,hnagover

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

ahngover2hagnover2hanggover1hangoevr2hangoverr1hangovre2hangovver1hangvoer2
Edit distance from "hangover"

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 "hangover"?
"hangover" is spelled H-A-N-G-O-V-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhæŋoʊvɚ/.
What does "hangover" mean?
As a noun, "hangover" means: Negative effects, such as headache or nausea, caused by previous drunkenness due to (excessive) consumption of alcohol.
What words are commonly confused with "hangover"?
"hangover" is commonly confused with "Hanover", "hungover", "hanger". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "hangover"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "hangover" is /ˈhæŋoʊvɚ/. 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 "hangover"?
American English; hang + over. First sense was first attested in 1904. Second sense was first attested in 1894. 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.

Using “hangover”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is H-A-N-G-O-V-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈhæŋoʊvɚ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Hanover” - see the side-by-side comparison. hangover vs Hanover
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
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 FrequencyWords open word-frequency list