quash

/kwɒʃ/

//kwɒʃ// verb

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

"quash" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“quash” has 7 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #39,506. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#39,506
frequency rank, English
288
“Q” headwords
7
tracked misspellings
14
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To defeat decisively, to suppress.

Corpus desk

Index EN-quash · quash · English

quash · rank #39,506 · 7 variants · 14 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #39,506
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 14 pairs
  • VAR-MID 7 variants
  • BOOK-MID 288
  • PHOTO-FINISH quagmire

Nearest frequency peer: quagmire (-2 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 “quash”

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

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “quash” 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).

quash vs quay
60% similar
quash vs quest
60% similar
quash vs quasi
80% similar

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

Key facts for quash
PropertyValue
Headwordquash
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/kwɒʃ/
Letters5
Frequency rank#39,506
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs14
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “quash” 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). quash lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 7 spelling variants around quash (IPA /kwɒʃ/), averb. Corpus frequency is #39,506 among 288 “Q” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for quash, with forms such as "qaush", "qquash", and "quahs". 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 14 confusable-pair relationships, "quay", "quest", "quasi", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English quaschen, quasshen, cwessen, quassen, from Old French quasser, from Latin quassāre, under the influence of cassō (“to annul”), from Latin quatiō (“I shake”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷeh₁t- (“to shake”) (same root for the English words… The correct English form is quash, spelled Q-U-A-S-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    To defeat decisively, to suppress.
  2. 2
    To crush or dash to pieces.
  3. 3
    To void or suppress (a subpoena, decision, etc.).

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. The army quashed the rebellion.
  2. Contrition is apt to quash or allay all worldly grief.

Etymology

From Middle English quaschen, quasshen, cwessen, quassen, from Old French quasser, from Latin quassāre, under the influence of cassō (“to annul”), from Latin quatiō (“I shake”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷeh₁t- (“to shake”) (same root for the English words: pasta, paste, pastiche, pastry). Cognate with Dutch kwetsen (“to hurt, injure”), German quetschen (“to crush, squash”), Spanish quejar (“to complain”).

This word in other languages

aplastar(Español)supprimer(Français)anular(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • qaush
  • qquash
  • quahs
  • quashh
  • quassh
  • qusah
  • uqash

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

qaush2qquash1quahs2quashh1quassh1qusah2uqash2
Edit distance from "quash"

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 "quash"?
"quash" is spelled Q-U-A-S-H. The IPA pronunciation is /kwɒʃ/.
What does "quash" mean?
As a verb, "quash" means: To defeat decisively, to suppress.
What words are commonly confused with "quash"?
"quash" is commonly confused with "quay", "quest", "quasi". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "quash"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "quash" is /kwɒʃ/. 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 "quash"?
From Middle English quaschen, quasshen, cwessen, quassen, from Old French quasser, from Latin quassāre, under the influence of cassō (“to annul”), from Latin quatiō (“I shake”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷeh₁t- (“to shake”) (same root for the Eng... 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 "quash", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 5 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

prowl#39,495redox#39,522Ponte#39,485Pinoy#39,481

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (7 here; floor ≥5).

pining7 variantsrishi7 variantsSheba7 variantssoapy7 variants

What to do next

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

  • "quash" maps to 14 confusable pairs in this vintage; the highest-scored is "quay". View pair
  • 7 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #39,506 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "Q" letter cohort. Q–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