slant

/ˈslɑːnt/

//ˈslɑːnt// noun

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

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

The verdict

“slant” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #23,102 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#23,102
frequency rank, English
5
letters
8
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A slope; an incline, inclination.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

slant vs slot
60% similar
slant vs span
60% similar
slant vs stan
60% similar

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

Key facts for slant
PropertyValue
Headwordslant
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈslɑːnt/
Letters5
Frequency rank#23,102
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “slant” 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). slant 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 slant is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈslɑːnt/. Corpus data places it at rank #23,102 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 15 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for slant, with forms such as "lsant", "salnt", and "slannt". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "slot", "span", "stan", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Late Middle English, from a variant of the earlier form dialectal slent, from Old Norse or another North Germanic source, cognate with Old Norse slent, Swedish slinta (“to slip”), Norwegian slenta (“to fall on the side”), from Proto-Germanic *slintaną. Prob… The correct English form is slant, spelled S-L-A-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    A slope; an incline, inclination.
  2. 2
    A sloped surface or line.
  3. 3
    A run: a heading driven diagonally between the dip and strike of a coal seam.
  4. 4
    Synonym of slash ⟨ / ⟩, particularly in its use to set off pronunciations from other text.
  5. 5
    An oblique movement or course.
  6. 6
    A sloping surface in a culture medium.
  7. 7
    A pan with a sloped bottom used for holding paintbrushes.
  8. 8
    A depression on a palette with a sloping bottom for holding and mixing watercolours.
  9. 9
    A palette or similar container with slants or sloping depressions.
  10. 10
    A sarcastic remark; shade, an indirect mocking insult.
  11. 11
    An opportunity, particularly to go somewhere.
  12. 12
    A crime committed for the purpose of being apprehended and transported to a major settlement.
  13. 13
    A point of view, an angle.
  14. 14
    A look, a glance.
  15. 15
    A person with slanting eyes, particularly an East Asian.

Etymology

Late Middle English, from a variant of the earlier form dialectal slent, from Old Norse or another North Germanic source, cognate with Old Norse slent, Swedish slinta (“to slip”), Norwegian slenta (“to fall on the side”), from Proto-Germanic *slintaną. Probably influenced by aslant.

Synonyms

slash

This word in other languages

inclinación(Español)biais(Français)Schräge(Deutsch)inclinação(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: lsant,salnt,slannt,slantt,slatn,sllant,slnat,sslant

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

lsant2salnt2slannt1slantt1slatn2sllant1slnat2sslant1
Edit distance from "slant"

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 "slant"?
"slant" is spelled S-L-A-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈslɑːnt/.
What does "slant" mean?
As a noun, "slant" means: A slope; an incline, inclination.
What words are commonly confused with "slant"?
"slant" is commonly confused with "slot", "span", "stan". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "slant"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "slant" is /ˈslɑːnt/. 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 "slant"?
Late Middle English, from a variant of the earlier form dialectal slent, from Old Norse or another North Germanic source, cognate with Old Norse slent, Swedish slinta (“to slip”), Norwegian slenta (“to fall on the side”), from Proto-Germanic *slin... 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 “slant”

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

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