hoodwink

/ˈhʊdwɪŋk/

//ˈhʊdwɪŋk// verb

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

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

The verdict

“hoodwink” is uncommon English (frequency #99,372 among 23,837 “H” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#99,372
frequency rank, English
23,837
“H” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To cover the eyes with, or as if with, a hood; to blindfold.

Key facts for hoodwink
PropertyValue
Headwordhoodwink
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈhʊdwɪŋk/
Letters8
Frequency rank#99,372
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “hoodwink” 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). hoodwink 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

hoodwink is uncommon English at frequency #99,372 among 23,837 “H” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈhʊdwɪŋk/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for hoodwink, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: The verb is derived from hood (“head covering attached to a larger garment such as a jacket or cloak”) + wink (“to close one’s eyes”). (< C16 'to blindfold'). The noun is derived from the verb. The correct English form is hoodwink, spelled H-O-O-D-W-I-N-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    To cover the eyes with, or as if with, a hood; to blindfold.
  2. 2
    To deceive using a disguise; to bewile, dupe, mislead.
  3. 3
    To hide or obscure.
  4. 4
    To close the eyes.

Etymology

The verb is derived from hood (“head covering attached to a larger garment such as a jacket or cloak”) + wink (“to close one’s eyes”). (< C16 'to blindfold'). The noun is derived from the verb.

This word in other languages

dársela con queso(Español)avoir(Français)übers Ohr hauen(Deutsch)blefar(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.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "hoodwink"?
"hoodwink" is spelled H-O-O-D-W-I-N-K. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhʊdwɪŋk/.
What does "hoodwink" mean?
As a verb, "hoodwink" means: To cover the eyes with, or as if with, a hood; to blindfold.
How do you pronounce "hoodwink"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "hoodwink" is /ˈhʊdwɪŋk/. 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 "hoodwink"?
The verb is derived from hood (“head covering attached to a larger garment such as a jacket or cloak”) + wink (“to close one’s eyes”). (< C16 'to blindfold'). The noun is derived from the verb. 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 “hoodwink”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is H-O-O-D-W-I-N-K - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈhʊdwɪŋk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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