hurtle

/ˈhɜːtl̩/

//ˈhɜːtl̩// verb

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

"hurtle" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“hurtle” is an uncommon English word, ranked #90,558 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#90,558
frequency rank, English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To propel or throw (something) hard or violently; to fling, to hurl.

Key facts for hurtle
PropertyValue
Headwordhurtle
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈhɜːtl̩/
Letters6
Frequency rank#90,558
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “hurtle” 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). hurtle 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 hurtle is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈhɜːtl̩/. Corpus data places it at rank #90,558 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

hurtle has no tracked misspelling variants, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: The verb is derived from Middle English hurtelen, hurtlen (“to cast, hurl, throw; to charge at; to clash in combat, fight; to collide; to injure; to knock down; to propel, push, thrust; to rush; to stumble”) [and other forms], from hurten (“to injure, wound… The correct English form is hurtle, spelled H-U-R-T-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To propel or throw (something) hard or violently; to fling, to hurl.
  2. 2
    To cause (someone or something) to collide with or hit another person or thing; or (two people or things) to collide with or hit each other.
  3. 3
    To attack or criticize (someone) verbally or in writing.
  4. 4
    To move rapidly, violently, or without control, especially in a noisy manner.
  5. 5
    Of a person or thing: to collide with or hit another person or thing, especially with force or violence; also, of two people or things: to collide together; to clash.
  6. 6
    To make a sound of things clashing or colliding together; to clatter, to rattle; hence, to move with such a sound.
  7. 7
    Of two people, etc.: to meet in a shocking or violent encounter; to clash; to jostle.

Etymology

The verb is derived from Middle English hurtelen, hurtlen (“to cast, hurl, throw; to charge at; to clash in combat, fight; to collide; to injure; to knock down; to propel, push, thrust; to rush; to stumble”) [and other forms], from hurten (“to injure, wound, hurt (physically or figuratively); to damage, impair; to hurt one’s feelings, humiliate; to receive an injury; to collide into; to propel, push, thrust; to stumble”) (see further at English hurt (verb)) + -el-, -elen (frequentative suffix). The English word is analysable as hurt (“(obsolete) to knock; to strike”) + -le (frequentative suffix). The noun is derived from the verb.

This word in other languages

barajustar(Español)foncer(Français)schleudern(Deutsch)

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 "hurtle"?
"hurtle" is spelled H-U-R-T-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhɜːtl̩/.
What does "hurtle" mean?
As a verb, "hurtle" means: To propel or throw (something) hard or violently; to fling, to hurl.
How do you pronounce "hurtle"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "hurtle" is /ˈhɜːtl̩/. 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 "hurtle"?
The verb is derived from Middle English hurtelen, hurtlen (“to cast, hurl, throw; to charge at; to clash in combat, fight; to collide; to injure; to knock down; to propel, push, thrust; to rush; to stumble”) [and other forms], from hurten (“to inj... 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 “hurtle”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is H-U-R-T-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈhɜːtl̩/ (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
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