impound

/ɪmˈpaʊ̯nd/

//ɪmˈpaʊ̯nd// verb

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

"impound" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“impound” is uncommon English (frequency #54,851 among 2,140 “I” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#54,851
frequency rank, English
2,140
“I” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To shut up or place in an enclosure called a pound.

Corpus desk

Index EN-impound · impound · English

impound · rank #54,851 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #54,851
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,140
  • PHOTO-FINISH insignificance

Nearest frequency peer: insignificance (+2 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “impound”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “impound” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for impound
PropertyValue
Headwordimpound
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪmˈpaʊ̯nd/
Letters7
Frequency rank#54,851
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “impound” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).impoundfalls in this rarity band:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Rare peers in the same band: “insignificance” (#54,853), “interlinked” (#54,854), “interurban” (#54,856). Among 2,140 “I” headwords, “impound” is #54,851. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

impound is uncommon English at frequency #54,851 among 2,140 “I” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ɪmˈpaʊ̯nd/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for impound, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: From im- + pound. The correct English form is impound, spelled I-M-P-O-U-N-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    To shut up or place in an enclosure called a pound.
  2. 2
    To hold back.
  3. 3
    To hold in the custody of a court or its delegate.
  4. 4
    To collect and hold (funds) for payment of property taxes and insurance on property in which one has a security interest.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how impound appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. His car was impounded after he parked it illegally.
  2. Noveria Approach Control: Landing access granted, Normandy. Noveria Approach Control: Be advised: we will be confirming identification on arrival. If confirmation cannot be established, your vessel will be impounded.

Etymology

From im- + pound.

This word in other languages

encerrar(Español)confisquer(Français)beschlagnahmen(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 "impound"?
"impound" is spelled I-M-P-O-U-N-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪmˈpaʊ̯nd/.
What does "impound" mean?
As a verb, "impound" means: To shut up or place in an enclosure called a pound.
How do you pronounce "impound"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "impound" is /ɪmˈpaʊ̯nd/. 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 "impound"?
From im- + pound. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "impound", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Jourdan#54,872kestrel#54,882growler#54,815grifter#54,811

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list