quench

/kwɛnt͡ʃ/

//kwɛnt͡ʃ// verb

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

"quench" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“quench” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #33,381 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#33,381
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To satisfy, especially a literal or figurative thirst.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

quench vs Quincy
50% similar
quench vs quince
67% similar

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

Key facts for quench
PropertyValue
Headwordquench
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/kwɛnt͡ʃ/
Letters6
Frequency rank#33,381
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “quench” 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). quench 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 quench is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kwɛnt͡ʃ/. Corpus data places it at rank #33,381 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for quench, with forms such as "qeunch", "qquench", and "quecnh". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "Quincy", "quince", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English quenchen, from Old English cwenċan, from Proto-Germanic *kwankijaną. The correct English form is quench, spelled Q-U-E-N-C-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    To satisfy, especially a literal or figurative thirst.
  2. 2
    To extinguish or put out (as a fire or light).
  3. 3
    To cool rapidly by direct contact with liquid coolant, as a blacksmith quenching hot iron.
  4. 4
    To terminate or greatly diminish (a chemical reaction) by destroying or deforming the remaining reagents.
  5. 5
    To rapidly change the parameters of a physical system.
  6. 6
    To rapidly terminate the operation of a superconducting electromagnet by causing part or all of the magnet's windings to enter the normal, resistive state.

Etymology

From Middle English quenchen, from Old English cwenċan, from Proto-Germanic *kwankijaną.

This word in other languages

saciar(Español)apaiser(Français)stillen(Deutsch)saciar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: qeunch,qquench,quecnh,quencch,quenchh,quenhc,quennch,qunech,uqench

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of quench - 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.

qeunch2qquench1quecnh2quencch1quenchh1quenhc2quennch1qunech2
Edit distance from "quench"

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 "quench"?
"quench" is spelled Q-U-E-N-C-H. The IPA pronunciation is /kwɛnt͡ʃ/.
What does "quench" mean?
As a verb, "quench" means: To satisfy, especially a literal or figurative thirst.
What words are commonly confused with "quench"?
"quench" is commonly confused with "Quincy", "quince". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "quench"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "quench" is /kwɛnt͡ʃ/. 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 "quench"?
From Middle English quenchen, from Old English cwenċan, from Proto-Germanic *kwankijaną. 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 “quench”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is Q-U-E-N-C-H - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /kwɛnt͡ʃ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “Quincy” - see the side-by-side comparison. quench vs Quincy
  • 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