schlep
/ʃlɛp/
"schlep" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“schlep” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 6
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To carry, drag, or lug.
Corpus desk
Index EN-schlep · schlep · English
schlep · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables
- FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
- LEN-LONG 6 letters
- VOW-1 1 vowel
- CONFUS-0 No pairs
- VAR-0 0 variants
- BOOK-THIN "S" thin
- PHOTO-UNK Peer pending
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.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | schlep |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Verb |
| IPA | /ʃlɛp/ |
| Letters | 6 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Long-tail rank of “schlep” in English
Rare enough to double-check
schlep is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed /ʃlɛp/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.
We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for schlep, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Yiddish שלעפּן (shlepn, “to drag”), from Middle High German slepen, from Middle Low German slêpen, from or related to Old High German sleifen (“to drag”) and slifan (“to slip”), from Proto-West Germanic *sleupan. Compare German schleppen (“to haul”) an… The correct English form is schlep, spelled S-C-H-L-E-P.
Definition
- 1To carry, drag, or lug.
- 2To go, as on an errand; to carry out a task.
- 3To act in a slovenly, lazy, or sloppy manner.
Recorded use
Wiktionary examplesThese source excerpts show how schlep appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.
I'm exhausted after schlepping those packages around all day.
Queen Elizabeth will schlep along 95 pieces of baggage on her trip here.
Etymology
From Yiddish שלעפּן (shlepn, “to drag”), from Middle High German slepen, from Middle Low German slêpen, from or related to Old High German sleifen (“to drag”) and slifan (“to slip”), from Proto-West Germanic *sleupan. Compare German schleppen (“to haul”) and its inherited doublet schleifen (“to drag”), Dutch slepen (“to drag”), Danish slæbe (“to haul”).
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.