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” has 9 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #2,079. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#2,079
frequency rank, English
2,297
“L” headwords
9
tracked misspellings
8
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To throw (a projectile such as a lance, dart or ball); to hurl; to propel with force.

Corpus desk

Index EN-launch · launch · English

launch · rank #2,079 · 9 variants · 8 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #2,079
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 8 pairs
  • VAR-MID 9 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,297
  • PHOTO-FINISH jump

Nearest frequency peer: jump (-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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “launch”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “launch” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

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)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “launch”

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

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

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “jump” (#2,078), “listed” (#2,080), “minimum” (#2,081). Among 2,297 “L” headwords, “launch” is #2,079. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 9 spelling variants around launch (IPA /lɔːnt͡ʃ/), averb. Corpus frequency is #2,079 among 2,297 “L” headwords. Wiktionary lists 10 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

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.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. There they were met by four thousand Ha'apa'a warriors, who launched a volley of stones and spears[…]
  2. And launch your hearts with lamentable wounds.

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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

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

Same letter count

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

listed#2,080native#2,082survey#2,091bodies#2,064

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (9 here; floor ≥5).

planned9 variantswriter9 variantsattacks9 variantsprofit9 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list