scuzzball

/ˈskʌzbɔl/

//ˈskʌzbɔl// noun

"scuzzball" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“scuzzball” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Someone who does nasty things or plays harmful tricks; a person of very low ethics; a lowlife.

Key facts for scuzzball
PropertyValue
Headwordscuzzball
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈskʌzbɔl/
Letters9
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “scuzzball” sits in English frequency

scuzzball falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for scuzzball is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈskʌzbɔl/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "Someone who does nasty things or plays harmful tricks; a person of very low ethics; a lowlife.".

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for scuzzball, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Our source data has no etymology on file for this entry, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct English form is scuzzball, spelled S-C-U-Z-Z-B-A-L-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    Someone who does nasty things or plays harmful tricks; a person of very low ethics; a lowlife.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "scuzzball"?
"scuzzball" is spelled S-C-U-Z-Z-B-A-L-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈskʌzbɔl/.
What does "scuzzball" mean?
As a noun, "scuzzball" means: Someone who does nasty things or plays harmful tricks; a person of very low ethics; a lowlife.
How do you pronounce "scuzzball"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "scuzzball" is /ˈskʌzbɔl/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "scuzzball" come from?
"scuzzball" is a English word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
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 “scuzzball”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is S-C-U-Z-Z-B-A-L-L - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈskʌzbɔl/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • 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