mindless

/maɪnd.ləs/

//maɪnd.ləs// adj

"mindless" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“mindless” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #21,870 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#21,870
frequency rank, English
8
letters
11
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Showing a lack of forethought or sense.

Key facts for mindless
PropertyValue
Headwordmindless
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/maɪnd.ləs/
Letters8
Frequency rank#21,870
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “mindless” 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). mindless 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 mindless is 8 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /maɪnd.ləs/. Corpus data places it at rank #21,870 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for mindless, with forms such as "imndless", "midnless", and "minddless". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English myndles, myndelees, myndeles, mendlees, from Old English myndlēas, ġemyndlēas (“foolish, senseless”), equivalent to mind + -less. The correct English form is mindless, spelled M-I-N-D-L-E-S-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    Showing a lack of forethought or sense.
  2. 2
    Having no sensible meaning or purpose.
  3. 3
    Heedless.
  4. 4
    Overly repetitive and unchallenging, not requiring any careful attention or providing any significant stimulation.
  5. 5
    Lacking a mind.

Etymology

From Middle English myndles, myndelees, myndeles, mendlees, from Old English myndlēas, ġemyndlēas (“foolish, senseless”), equivalent to mind + -less.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: imndless,midnless,minddless,mindelss,mindles,mindlless,mindlses,minldess,minndless,mmindless,mnidless

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of mindless - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

imndless2midnless2minddless1mindelss2mindles1mindlless1mindlses2minldess2
Edit distance from "mindless"

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 "mindless"?
"mindless" is spelled M-I-N-D-L-E-S-S. The IPA pronunciation is /maɪnd.ləs/.
What does "mindless" mean?
As an adjective, "mindless" means: Showing a lack of forethought or sense.
What are common misspellings of "mindless"?
Common misspellings include "imndless", "midnless", "minddless", "mindelss", "mindles". The correct spelling is "mindless".
How do you pronounce "mindless"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "mindless" is /maɪnd.ləs/. 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 "mindless"?
From Middle English myndles, myndelees, myndeles, mendlees, from Old English myndlēas, ġemyndlēas (“foolish, senseless”), equivalent to mind + -less. 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 “mindless”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is M-I-N-D-L-E-S-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /maɪnd.ləs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • 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