mightn't

/ˈmaɪtn̩t/

//ˈmaɪtn̩t// verb

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

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

The verdict

“mightn't” is uncommon English (frequency #81,579 among 4,057 “M” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#81,579
frequency rank, English
4,057
“M” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 2, 2026) - might not (negative auxiliary)

Corpus desk

Index EN-mightn-t · mightn't · English

mightn't · rank #81,579 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #81,579
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-1 1 vowel
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 4,057
  • PHOTO-FINISH Midian

Nearest frequency peer: Midian (-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 “mightn't”

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

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “mightn't” 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 mightn't
PropertyValue
Headwordmightn't
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈmaɪtn̩t/
Letters8
Frequency rank#81,579
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “mightn't” 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). mightn't 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

mightn't is uncommon English at frequency #81,579 among 4,057 “M” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈmaɪtn̩t/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "might not (negative auxiliary)".

mightn't has no tracked misspelling variants, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. Our dataset records no confusable match here, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From might + n't. The correct English form is mightn't, spelled M-I-G-H-T-N-'-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    might not (negative auxiliary)

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how mightn't appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Her driver was new to the country; he mightn't be prepared for the leaping of the yellow water down dry arroyos, swift as the pouncings of a cat, or the snake-like slidings of tons of loosened rock and clay from the steep potreros […]
  2. “But, mightn’t there have been something unusual about the Stimatis contract itself?” [Perry Mason cross-examining Roger Correll.]

Etymology

From might + n't.

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 "mightn't"?
"mightn't" is spelled M-I-G-H-T-N-'-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmaɪtn̩t/.
What does "mightn't" mean?
As a verb, "mightn't" means: might not (negative auxiliary)
How do you pronounce "mightn't"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "mightn't" is /ˈmaɪtn̩t/. 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 "mightn't"?
From might + n't. 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 "mightn't", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

mesmeric#81,569McKeever#81,561McIntire#81,559McDuffie#81,558
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