shook

/ʃʊk/

//ʃʊk// noun

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

The verdict

“shook” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #6,618 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#6,618
frequency rank, English
5
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A set of pieces for making a cask or box, usually wood.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

shook vs show
60% similar
shook vs soon
60% similar
shook vs shot
60% similar

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

Key facts for shook
PropertyValue
Headwordshook
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ʃʊk/
Letters5
Frequency rank#6,618
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “shook” 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). shook 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 shook is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ʃʊk/. Corpus data places it at rank #6,618 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for shook, with forms such as "hsook", "shhook", and "shok". 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, "show", "soon", "shot", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Compare shock (“a bundle of sheaves”). The correct English form is shook, spelled S-H-O-O-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    A set of pieces for making a cask or box, usually wood.
  2. 2
    The parts of a piece of house furniture, as a bedstead, packed together.

Etymology

Compare shock (“a bundle of sheaves”).

Synonyms

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: hsook,shhook,shok,shoko,shookk,sohok,sshook

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of shook - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

hsook2shhook1shok1shoko2shookk1sohok2sshook1
Edit distance from "shook"

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 "shook"?
"shook" is spelled S-H-O-O-K. The IPA pronunciation is /ʃʊk/.
What does "shook" mean?
As a noun, "shook" means: A set of pieces for making a cask or box, usually wood.
What words are commonly confused with "shook"?
"shook" is commonly confused with "show", "soon", "shot". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "shook"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "shook" is /ʃʊk/. 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 "shook"?
Compare shock (“a bundle of sheaves”). 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 “shook”

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

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