hitch

/hɪt͡ʃ/

//hɪt͡ʃ// noun

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

"hitch" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“hitch” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #16,727 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#16,727
frequency rank, English
5
letters
8
tracked misspellings
12
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A sudden pull.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

hitch vs hits
60% similar
hitch vs hunch
60% similar
hitch vs hutch
80% similar

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

Key facts for hitch
PropertyValue
Headwordhitch
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/hɪt͡ʃ/
Letters5
Frequency rank#16,727
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs12
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “hitch” 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). hitch 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 hitch is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /hɪt͡ʃ/. Corpus data places it at rank #16,727 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for hitch, with forms such as "hhitch", "hicth", and "hitcch". 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 12 confusable-pair relationships, "hits", "hunch", "hutch", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Probably from Middle English hicchen, hytchen, icchen (“to move; to move as with a jerk”), of obscure origin. Lacks cognates in other languages. Compare itch, hike. The correct English form is hitch, spelled H-I-T-C-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    A sudden pull.
  2. 2
    Any of various knots used to attach a rope to an object other than another rope.
  3. 3
    A fastener or connection point, as for a trailer.
  4. 4
    A problem, delay or source of difficulty.
  5. 5
    A hidden or unfavorable condition or element.
  6. 6
    A period of time spent in the military.
  7. 7
    A large Californian minnow, Lavinia exilicauda.
  8. 8
    A hole cut into the wall of a mine on which timbers are rested.

Etymology

Probably from Middle English hicchen, hytchen, icchen (“to move; to move as with a jerk”), of obscure origin. Lacks cognates in other languages. Compare itch, hike.

This word in other languages

inconveniente(Español)accroc(Français)Ruck(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: hhitch,hicth,hitcch,hitchh,hithc,hittch,htich,ihtch

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

hhitch1hicth2hitcch1hitchh1hithc2hittch1htich2ihtch2
Edit distance from "hitch"

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 "hitch"?
"hitch" is spelled H-I-T-C-H. The IPA pronunciation is /hɪt͡ʃ/.
What does "hitch" mean?
As a noun, "hitch" means: A sudden pull.
What words are commonly confused with "hitch"?
"hitch" is commonly confused with "hits", "hunch", "hutch". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "hitch"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "hitch" is /hɪt͡ʃ/. 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 "hitch"?
Probably from Middle English hicchen, hytchen, icchen (“to move; to move as with a jerk”), of obscure origin. Lacks cognates in other languages. Compare itch, hike. 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 “hitch”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is H-I-T-C-H - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /hɪt͡ʃ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “hits” - see the side-by-side comparison. hitch vs hits
  • 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