rank

/ˈɹæŋk/

//ˈɹæŋk// adj

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

"rank" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“rank” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,388 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#3,388
frequency rank, English
4
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Strong; powerful; capable of acting or being used with great effect; energetic; vigorous; headstrong.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

rank vs RN
0% similar
rank vs run
50% similar
rank vs ray
50% similar

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

Key facts for rank
PropertyValue
Headwordrank
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈɹæŋk/
Letters4
Frequency rank#3,388
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “rank” 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). rank 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 rank is 4 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɹæŋk/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,388 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for rank, with forms such as "arnk", "rakn", and "rankk". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "RN", "run", "ray", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English rank (“strong, proud”), from Old English ranc (“proud, haughty, arrogant, insolent, forward, overbearing, showy, ostentatious, splendid, bold, valiant, noble, brave, strong, full-grown, mature”), from Proto-West Germanic *rank, from Prot… The correct English form is rank, spelled R-A-N-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    Strong; powerful; capable of acting or being used with great effect; energetic; vigorous; headstrong.
  2. 2
    Strong; powerful; capable of acting or being used with great effect; energetic; vigorous; headstrong.
  3. 3
    Strong; powerful; capable of acting or being used with great effect; energetic; vigorous; headstrong.
  4. 4
    Strong; powerful; capable of acting or being used with great effect; energetic; vigorous; headstrong.
  5. 5
    Strong; powerful; capable of acting or being used with great effect; energetic; vigorous; headstrong.
  6. 6
    Strong; powerful; capable of acting or being used with great effect; energetic; vigorous; headstrong.
  7. 7
    Having a very strong, bad taste or odor.
  8. 8
    complete, unmitigated, utter.
  9. 9
    lustful; lascivious

Etymology

From Middle English rank (“strong, proud”), from Old English ranc (“proud, haughty, arrogant, insolent, forward, overbearing, showy, ostentatious, splendid, bold, valiant, noble, brave, strong, full-grown, mature”), from Proto-West Germanic *rank, from Proto-Germanic *rankaz (“straight”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- (“straight, direct”). Cognate with Dutch rank (“slender, slim”), Low German rank (“slender, projecting, lank”), Danish rank (“straight, erect, slender”), Swedish rank (“slender, shaky, wonky”), Icelandic rakkur (“straight, slender, bold, valiant”).

This word in other languages

rancio(Español)malodorant(Français)geil(Deutsch)repugnante(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: arnk,rakn,rankk,rannk,rnak,rrank

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

arnk2rakn2rankk1rannk1rnak2rrank1
Edit distance from "rank"

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 "rank"?
"rank" is spelled R-A-N-K. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɹæŋk/.
What does "rank" mean?
As an adjective, "rank" means: Strong; powerful; capable of acting or being used with great effect; energetic; vigorous; headstrong.
What words are commonly confused with "rank"?
"rank" is commonly confused with "RN", "run", "ray". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "rank"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "rank" is /ˈɹæŋk/. 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 "rank"?
From Middle English rank (“strong, proud”), from Old English ranc (“proud, haughty, arrogant, insolent, forward, overbearing, showy, ostentatious, splendid, bold, valiant, noble, brave, strong, full-grown, mature”), from Proto-West Germanic *rank,... 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 “rank”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is R-A-N-K - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɹæŋk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “RN” - see the side-by-side comparison. rank vs RN
  • 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