impugn

/ɪmˈpjuːn/

//ɪmˈpjuːn// verb

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

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

The verdict

“impugn” is uncommon English (frequency #83,368 among 2,140 “I” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#83,368
frequency rank, English
2,140
“I” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 2, 2026) - To assault, attack.

Corpus desk

Index EN-impugn · impugn · English

impugn · rank #83,368 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #83,368
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,140
  • PHOTO-FINISH impactor

Nearest frequency peer: impactor (-1 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.

Frequency neighbourhood for “impugn”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “impugn” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 2, 2026
Key facts for impugn
PropertyValue
Headwordimpugn
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪmˈpjuːn/
Letters6
Frequency rank#83,368
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “impugn” 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). impugn 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

impugn is uncommon English at frequency #83,368 among 2,140 “I” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ɪmˈpjuːn/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for impugn in our index, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Middle French impugner, from Latin impugnō, from im- + pugnō (“fight”), from pugnus (“fist”), as in English pugilism (“fighting with fists, boxing”). The correct English form is impugn, spelled I-M-P-U-G-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    To assault, attack.
  2. 2
    To verbally assault, especially to argue against an opinion, motive, or action; to question the truth or validity of; cast doubt on.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. For quotations using this term, see Citations:impugn.
  2. [The fact] that Americans’ trust in government is at historic lows […] makes it easier for politicians to impugn the system – courts, parties, and institutions.

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French impugner, from Latin impugnō, from im- + pugnō (“fight”), from pugnus (“fist”), as in English pugilism (“fighting with fists, boxing”).

This word in other languages

arremeter(Español)attaquer(Français)angreifen(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.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 2, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "impugn"?
"impugn" is spelled I-M-P-U-G-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪmˈpjuːn/.
What does "impugn" mean?
As a verb, "impugn" means: To assault, attack.
How do you pronounce "impugn"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "impugn" is /ɪmˈpjuːn/. 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 "impugn"?
Borrowed from Middle French impugner, from Latin impugnō, from im- + pugnō (“fight”), from pugnus (“fist”), as in English pugilism (“fighting with fists, boxing”). 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 "impugn", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Javert#83,384hoorah#83,351Hooman#83,350Jepson#83,386

What to do next

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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