pushover

/ˈpʊʃəʊvə(ɹ)/

//ˈpʊʃəʊvə(ɹ)// noun

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

The verdict

“pushover” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #42,840 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#42,840
frequency rank, English
8
letters
12
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Someone who is easily swayed or influenced to change their mind or comply.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

pushover vs pusher
75% similar
pushover vs Passover
63% similar
pushover vs pullover
75% similar

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

Key facts for pushover
PropertyValue
Headwordpushover
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈpʊʃəʊvə(ɹ)/
Letters8
Frequency rank#42,840
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “pushover” 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). pushover 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 pushover is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈpʊʃəʊvə(ɹ)/. Corpus data places it at rank #42,840 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for pushover, with forms such as "ppushover", "psuhover", and "puhsover". 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. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "pusher", "Passover", "pullover", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: A deverbal from push over. First use appears c. 1891 in the Galveston Daily News. The correct English form is pushover, spelled P-U-S-H-O-V-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Someone who is easily swayed or influenced to change their mind or comply.
  2. 2
    Someone who is easy to push around and to take advantage of; someone who lets themselves be picked on or bullied without defending or standing up for themselves.
  3. 3
    Something that is easy to do or accomplish; an easy task.

Etymology

A deverbal from push over. First use appears c. 1891 in the Galveston Daily News.

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ppushover,psuhover,puhsover,pushhover,pushoevr,pushoverr,pushovre,pushovver,pushvoer,pusohver,pusshover,upshover

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of pushover - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ppushover1psuhover2puhsover2pushhover1pushoevr2pushoverr1pushovre2pushovver1
Edit distance from "pushover"

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 "pushover"?
"pushover" is spelled P-U-S-H-O-V-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpʊʃəʊvə(ɹ)/.
What does "pushover" mean?
As a noun, "pushover" means: Someone who is easily swayed or influenced to change their mind or comply.
What words are commonly confused with "pushover"?
"pushover" is commonly confused with "pusher", "Passover", "pullover". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "pushover"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "pushover" is /ˈpʊʃəʊvə(ɹ)/. 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 "pushover"?
A deverbal from push over. First use appears c. 1891 in the Galveston Daily News. 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 “pushover”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is P-U-S-H-O-V-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈpʊʃəʊvə(ɹ)/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “pusher” - see the side-by-side comparison. pushover vs pusher
  • 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