slapdash

/ˈslæpdæʃ/

//ˈslæpdæʃ// adj

"slapdash" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“slapdash” is an uncommon English word, ranked #95,424 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#95,424
frequency rank, English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Produced or carried out hastily; haphazard; careless.

Key facts for slapdash
PropertyValue
Headwordslapdash
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈslæpdæʃ/
Letters8
Frequency rank#95,424
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “slapdash” 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). slapdash 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 slapdash is 8 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈslæpdæʃ/. Corpus data places it at rank #95,424 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "Produced or carried out hastily; haphazard; careless.".

No misspelling variants are generated for slapdash in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From slap + dash. First attested in the late 17th century, meaning "careless". The correct English form is slapdash, spelled S-L-A-P-D-A-S-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    Produced or carried out hastily; haphazard; careless.

Etymology

From slap + dash. First attested in the late 17th century, meaning "careless".

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); 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 "slapdash"?
"slapdash" is spelled S-L-A-P-D-A-S-H. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈslæpdæʃ/.
What does "slapdash" mean?
As an adjective, "slapdash" means: Produced or carried out hastily; haphazard; careless.
How do you pronounce "slapdash"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "slapdash" is /ˈslæpdæʃ/. 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 "slapdash"?
From slap + dash. First attested in the late 17th century, meaning "careless". 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 “slapdash”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is S-L-A-P-D-A-S-H - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈslæpdæʃ/ (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