ow

/ˈaʊ/

//ˈaʊ// intj

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

"ow" is a 2-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“ow” sits in 20 confusable pairs (corpus #12,291) as an interjection. The look-alike neighbours are the real trap.

#12,291
frequency rank, English
1,431
“O” headwords
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Synonym of ouch (“cry of pain”).

Corpus desk

Index EN-ow · ow · English

ow · rank #12,291 · 0 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #12,291
  • LEN-SHORT 2 letters
  • VOW-1 1 vowel
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,431
  • PHOTO-FINISH nutritional

Nearest frequency peer: nutritional (-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 “ow”

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

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “ow” 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 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

ow vs oz
50% similar
ow vs ox
50% similar
ow vs oy
50% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for ow
PropertyValue
Headwordow
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechInterjection
IPA/ˈaʊ/
Letters2
Frequency rank#12,291
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “ow” sits in English frequency

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).ow lands 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. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Easy to mix with look-alikes

The spelling risk for ow is neighbouring look-alikes ("oz", "ox", …), not just typos; it is aninterjection pronounced /ˈaʊ/. Frequency #12,291 among 1,431 “O” headwords. 2 recorded senses keep meaning in play.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for ow, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "oz", "ox", "oy", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct English form is ow, spelled O-W.

Definition

  1. 1
    Synonym of ouch (“cry of pain”).
  2. 2
    Used for emotional emphasis.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Now don't you wait or hesitate / Let's move before they raise the parking rate, ow!
  2. Then you ran into the bedroom / You were struck down / It was your doom, Annie / Ow!

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 3, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "ow"?
"ow" is spelled O-W. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈaʊ/.
What does "ow" mean?
As an interjection, "ow" means: Synonym of ouch (“cry of pain”).
What words are commonly confused with "ow"?
"ow" is commonly confused with "oz", "ox", "oy". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "ow"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "ow" is /ˈaʊ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "ow" come from?
"ow" 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.

What to do next

You've looked up "ow". Here's where to go from here.

  • "ow" maps to 20 confusable pairs in this vintage; the highest-scored is "oz". View pair
  • Usage frequency rank #12,291 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "O" letter cohort. O–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

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