oftentimes

/ˈɒf.ənˌtaɪmz/

//ˈɒf.ənˌtaɪmz// adv

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

"oftentimes" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“oftentimes” has 15 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #25,863. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#25,863
frequency rank, English
1,431
“O” headwords
15
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Frequently; often.

Corpus desk

Index EN-oftentimes · oftentimes · English

oftentimes · rank #25,863 · 15 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #25,863
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 15 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,431
  • PHOTO-FINISH obstruct

Nearest frequency peer: obstruct (-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 “oftentimes”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “oftentimes” 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 oftentimes
PropertyValue
Headwordoftentimes
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/ˈɒf.ənˌtaɪmz/
Letters10
Frequency rank#25,863
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “oftentimes”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).oftentimeslands 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 “obstruct” (#25,862), “orthopedic” (#25,864), “nuance” (#25,861). Among 1,431 “O” headwords, “oftentimes” is #25,863. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 15 spelling variants around oftentimes (IPA /ˈɒf.ənˌtaɪmz/), anadverb. Corpus frequency is #25,863 among 1,431 “O” headwords. Dominant gloss: "Frequently; often.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for oftentimes, with forms such as "fotentimes", "ofetntimes", and "offtentimes". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. 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: Inherited from the Middle English oftentymes; equivalent to oftentime + -s. Compare oftentime. The correct English form is oftentimes, spelled O-F-T-E-N-T-I-M-E-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    Frequently; often.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. But because this is oftentimes dangerous, and much hurt hath been received thereby through casualty of fire, I advise the sticking four stakes into the earth, at least five feet above the ground […]
  2. Pique and linen also accented several coats and oftentimes were both detachable and formed an overcollar covering a collar made from the coat fabric.

Etymology

Inherited from the Middle English oftentymes; equivalent to oftentime + -s. Compare oftentime.

Synonyms

oftentimeofttimesoftwhilesoften

This word in other languages

frecuentemente(Español)comme d'habitude(Français)oftmals(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • fotentimes
  • ofetntimes
  • offtentimes
  • oftenitmes
  • oftenntimes
  • oftentiems
  • oftentimess
  • oftentimmes
  • oftentimse
  • oftentmies
  • oftenttimes
  • oftetnimes
  • oftnetimes
  • ofttentimes
  • otfentimes

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of oftentimes - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

fotentimes2ofetntimes2offtentimes1oftenitmes2oftenntimes1oftentiems2oftentimess1oftentimmes1
Edit distance from "oftentimes"

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 "oftentimes"?
"oftentimes" is spelled O-F-T-E-N-T-I-M-E-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɒf.ənˌtaɪmz/.
What does "oftentimes" mean?
As an adverb, "oftentimes" means: Frequently; often.
What are common misspellings of "oftentimes"?
Common misspellings include "fotentimes", "ofetntimes", "offtentimes", "oftenitmes", "oftenntimes". The correct spelling is "oftentimes".
How do you pronounce "oftentimes"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "oftentimes" is /ˈɒf.ənˌtaɪmz/. 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 "oftentimes"?
Inherited from the Middle English oftentymes; equivalent to oftentime + -s. Compare oftentime. 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 "oftentimes", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

orthopedic#25,864overriding#25,871peppermint#25,876percentile#25,877

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (15 here; floor ≥5).

persuading15 variantsretrograde15 variantsincoherent15 variantssplashing15 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list