no-show

/ˈnoʊ ˌʃoʊ/

//ˈnoʊ ˌʃoʊ// noun

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

"no-show" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“no-show” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An absence; failure to show up or to make a scheduled appearance, especially at a hotel or a place of employment.

Key facts for no-show
PropertyValue
Headwordno-show
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈnoʊ ˌʃoʊ/
Letters7
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “no-show” sits in English frequency

no-show falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for no-show is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈnoʊ ˌʃoʊ/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for no-show, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

This entry's etymology isn't recorded, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct English form is no-show, spelled N-O---S-H-O-W.

Definition

  1. 1
    An absence; failure to show up or to make a scheduled appearance, especially at a hotel or a place of employment.
  2. 2
    A person or group that does not show up.
  3. 3
    Ellipsis of no-show sock.

This word in other languages

incomparecencia(Español)ausência(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "no-show"?
"no-show" is spelled N-O---S-H-O-W. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈnoʊ ˌʃoʊ/.
What does "no-show" mean?
As a noun, "no-show" means: An absence; failure to show up or to make a scheduled appearance, especially at a hotel or a place of employment.
How do you pronounce "no-show"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "no-show" is /ˈnoʊ ˌʃoʊ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "no-show" come from?
"no-show" is a English word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
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 “no-show”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is N-O---S-H-O-W - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈnoʊ ˌʃoʊ/ (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