nihilism

/ˈnaɪ.(h)ɪ.lɪz.m̩/

//ˈnaɪ.(h)ɪ.lɪz.m̩// noun

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

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

The verdict

“nihilism” has 12 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #39,932. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#39,932
frequency rank, English
1,534
“N” headwords
12
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The view that all endeavours are devoid of objective meaning.

Corpus desk

Index EN-nihilism · nihilism · English

nihilism · rank #39,932 · 12 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #39,932
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-MID 12 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,534
  • PHOTO-FINISH nonchalant

Nearest frequency peer: nonchalant (+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 “nihilism”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “nihilism” 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
Key facts for nihilism
PropertyValue
Headwordnihilism
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈnaɪ.(h)ɪ.lɪz.m̩/
Letters8
Frequency rank#39,932
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “nihilism”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).nihilismlands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “nonchalant” (#39,933), “noob” (#39,934), “NCC” (#39,929). Among 1,534 “N” headwords, “nihilism” is #39,932. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 12 spelling variants around nihilism (IPA /ˈnaɪ.(h)ɪ.lɪz.m̩/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #39,932 among 1,534 “N” headwords. Wiktionary lists 7 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for nihilism, with forms such as "inhilism", "nhiilism", and "nihhilism". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: Probably borrowed from French nihilisme, German Nihilismus, or Late Latin nihilismus; the French, German, and Latin words are derived from Latin nihil (“indefinite nothing”), from nihilum (“nothing”), from ne- (prefix negating the principal meaning) + hīlum… The correct English form is nihilism, spelled N-I-H-I-L-I-S-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    The view that all endeavours are devoid of objective meaning.
  2. 2
    The rejection of, or opposition to, religious beliefs, (inherent or objective) moral principles, legal rules, etc., often due to the view that life is meaningless (sense 1).
  3. 3
    The rejection of non-proven or non-rationalized assertions in the social and political spheres of society.
  4. 4
    A delusion that oneself or the world, or parts thereof, have ceased to exist.
  5. 5
    Alternative letter-case form of Nihilism (“a Russian movement of the 1860s that rejected all authority and promoted the use of violence for political change”).
  6. 6
    A doctrine grounded on the negation of one or more meaningful aspects of life; in particular, the view that nothing in the world actually exists.
  7. 7
    Something that is regarded as meaningless.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. This classification should have led to the discovery and study of remedies which act specifically upon the various textures and tissues of the body, such as the cellular, serous, mucous, parenchymatous, fibrous, gelatinous, &c., but it did not, except in the most imperfect manner—so imperfect, in fact, that most pathologists, despairing of finding such re…
  2. But there was also about him an indescribable air which no mechanic could have acquired in the practice of his handicraft however dishonestly exercised: [...] the air of moral nihilism common to keepers of gambling hells and disorderly houses; [...]

Etymology

Probably borrowed from French nihilisme, German Nihilismus, or Late Latin nihilismus; the French, German, and Latin words are derived from Latin nihil (“indefinite nothing”), from nihilum (“nothing”), from ne- (prefix negating the principal meaning) + hīlum (“a trifle; not in the least”). The English word is cognate with Italian nichilismo, Spanish nihilismo, Russian нигили́зм (nigilízm), philosophical doctrine grounded on negation of one or more meaningful aspects of life; emptiness; lack of education and cultural refinement.

This word in other languages

nihilismo(Español)nihilisme(Français)Nihilismus(Deutsch)niilismo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • inhilism
  • nhiilism
  • nihhilism
  • nihiilsm
  • nihilims
  • nihilismm
  • nihilissm
  • nihillism
  • nihilsim
  • nihliism
  • niihlism
  • nnihilism

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

inhilism2nhiilism2nihhilism1nihiilsm2nihilims2nihilismm1nihilissm1nihillism1
Edit distance from "nihilism"

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 "nihilism"?
"nihilism" is spelled N-I-H-I-L-I-S-M. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈnaɪ.(h)ɪ.lɪz.m̩/.
What does "nihilism" mean?
As a noun, "nihilism" means: The view that all endeavours are devoid of objective meaning.
What are common misspellings of "nihilism"?
Common misspellings include "inhilism", "nhiilism", "nihhilism", "nihiilsm", "nihilims". The correct spelling is "nihilism".
How do you pronounce "nihilism"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "nihilism" is /ˈnaɪ.(h)ɪ.lɪz.m̩/. 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 "nihilism"?
Probably borrowed from French nihilisme, German Nihilismus, or Late Latin nihilismus; the French, German, and Latin words are derived from Latin nihil (“indefinite nothing”), from nihilum (“nothing”), from ne- (prefix negating the principal meanin... 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 "nihilism", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

oilfield#39,938Murakami#39,925modulate#39,916penalize#39,951

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (12 here; floor ≥5).

motocross12 variantsLonsdale12 variantsQuidditch12 variantsRedstone12 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list