launch

/lɔːnt͡ʃ/

//lɔːnt͡ʃ// verb

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

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

The verdict

“launch” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,079 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#2,079
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
8
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To throw (a projectile such as a lance, dart or ball); to hurl; to propel with force.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

launch vs lunch
83% similar
launch vs lynch
67% similar
launch vs lurch
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for launch
PropertyValue
Headwordlaunch
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/lɔːnt͡ʃ/
Letters6
Frequency rank#2,079
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs8
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “launch” 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). launch 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 launch is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /lɔːnt͡ʃ/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,079 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 10 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for launch, with forms such as "alunch", "lanuch", and "laucnh". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 8 confusable-pair relationships, "lunch", "lynch", "lurch", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English launchen (“to throw as a lance”), Old French lanchier, another form (Old Northern French/Norman variant, compare Jèrriais lanchi) of lancier, French lancer, from lance. The correct English form is launch, spelled L-A-U-N-C-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    To throw (a projectile such as a lance, dart or ball); to hurl; to propel with force.
  2. 2
    To pierce with, or as with, a lance.
  3. 3
    To cause (a vessel) to move or slide from the land or a larger vessel into the water; to set afloat.
  4. 4
    To cause (a rocket, balloon, etc., or the payload thereof) to begin its flight upward from the ground.
  5. 5
    To send out; to start (someone) on a mission or project; to give a start to (something); to put in operation
  6. 6
    To start (a program or feature); to execute or bring into operation.
  7. 7
    To release; to put onto the market for sale
  8. 8
    Of a ship, rocket, balloon, etc.: to depart on a voyage; to take off.
  9. 9
    To move with force and swiftness like a sliding from the stocks into the water; to plunge; to begin.
  10. 10
    To start to operate.

Etymology

From Middle English launchen (“to throw as a lance”), Old French lanchier, another form (Old Northern French/Norman variant, compare Jèrriais lanchi) of lancier, French lancer, from lance.

This word in other languages

lanzar(Español)lancer(Français)abschießen(Deutsch)lançar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: alunch,lanuch,laucnh,launcch,launchh,launhc,launnch,llaunch,luanch

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of launch - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

alunch2lanuch2laucnh2launcch1launchh1launhc2launnch1llaunch1
Edit distance from "launch"

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 "launch"?
"launch" is spelled L-A-U-N-C-H. The IPA pronunciation is /lɔːnt͡ʃ/.
What does "launch" mean?
As a verb, "launch" means: To throw (a projectile such as a lance, dart or ball); to hurl; to propel with force.
What words are commonly confused with "launch"?
"launch" is commonly confused with "lunch", "lynch", "lurch". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "launch"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "launch" is /lɔːnt͡ʃ/. 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 "launch"?
From Middle English launchen (“to throw as a lance”), Old French lanchier, another form (Old Northern French/Norman variant, compare Jèrriais lanchi) of lancier, French lancer, from lance. 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 “launch”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is L-A-U-N-C-H - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /lɔːnt͡ʃ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “lunch” - see the side-by-side comparison. launch vs lunch
  • 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