sinker

/ˈsɪŋkə(ɹ)/

//ˈsɪŋkə(ɹ)// noun

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

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

The verdict

“sinker” has 9 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #46,779. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#46,779
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords
9
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - That which sinks or descends.

Corpus desk

Index EN-sinker · sinker · English

sinker · rank #46,779 · 9 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #46,779
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 9 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH Simona

Nearest frequency peer: Simona (-1 rank slots)

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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “sinker”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “sinker” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

sinker vs sinks
67% similar
sinker vs sneer
67% similar
sinker vs sister
67% similar

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

Key facts for sinker
PropertyValue
Headwordsinker
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈsɪŋkə(ɹ)/
Letters6
Frequency rank#46,779
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “sinker”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).sinkerlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “Simona” (#46,778), “Silverstein” (#46,777), “Slates” (#46,781). Among 6,566 “S” headwords, “sinker” is #46,779. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 9 spelling variants around sinker (IPA /ˈsɪŋkə(ɹ)/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #46,779 among 6,566 “S” headwords. Wiktionary lists 7 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for sinker, with forms such as "isnker", "sikner", and "sinekr". 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, "sinks", "sneer", "sister", 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 sink + -er. The correct English form is sinker, spelled S-I-N-K-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    That which sinks or descends.
  2. 2
    One who sinks something.
  3. 3
    A weight used in fishing to cause the line or net to sink.
  4. 4
    Any of several high speed pitches that have a downward motion near the plate; a two-seam fastball, a split-finger fastball, or a forkball.
  5. 5
    A sinker nail, used for framing in current construction.
  6. 6
    A doughnut; a biscuit.
  7. 7
    In knitting machines, one of the thin plates, blades, or other devices, that depress the loops upon or between the needles.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how sinker appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. McLachlan's value as a coal miner was enhanced by the specialized skill he learned as a shaft-sinker.
  2. Hook the sinker onto this loop.

Etymology

From sink + -er.

This word in other languages

plomb(Français)chumbo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • isnker
  • sikner
  • sinekr
  • sinkerr
  • sinkker
  • sinkre
  • sinnker
  • sniker
  • ssinker

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

isnker2sikner2sinekr2sinkerr1sinkker1sinkre2sinnker1sniker2
Edit distance from "sinker"

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 "sinker"?
"sinker" is spelled S-I-N-K-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsɪŋkə(ɹ)/.
What does "sinker" mean?
As a noun, "sinker" means: That which sinks or descends.
What words are commonly confused with "sinker"?
"sinker" is commonly confused with "sinks", "sneer", "sister". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "sinker"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "sinker" is /ˈsɪŋkə(ɹ)/. 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 "sinker"?
From sink + -er. 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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "sinker", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Simona#46,778Slates#46,781sortie#46,787Segway#46,766

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (9 here; floor ≥5).

rubbery9 variantsronson9 variantsuntidy9 variantsraster9 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list