isn't
/ˈɪz.ənt/verb, noun
isn't is spelled I-S-N-T: 4 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 257 times per million words in written English, the 373rd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, isn't means “Contraction of is + not (negative auxiliary)” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in isn't?
| Letters | 4: I-S-N-T |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 257 times per million words; the 373rd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is isn't?
Isn't appears 257 times per million words in written English, the 373rd most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce isn't?
- UK /ˈɪz.ənt/
- UK [ˈɪz.n̩t]
- UK /ˈɪn(t)/
Isn't has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-isn't.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of isn't
- idn't
- in't informal
- i'n
- isnae
- isn'ts plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does isn't mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
Contraction of is + not (negative auxiliary).
Nice day, isn't it?
noun
- 1
colloquialnonstandardSomething or someone that is defined by the lack of the characteristic being discussed.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Isn't in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense is not:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| Portuguese | não é |
| Spanish | no es |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.