squint

/skwɪnt/

//skwɪnt// verb

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

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

The verdict

“squint” has 9 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #37,233. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#37,233
frequency rank, English
6,566
“S” headwords
9
tracked misspellings
16
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To look with the eyes partly closed, as in bright sunlight, or as a threatening expression.

Corpus desk

Index EN-squint · squint · English

squint · rank #37,233 · 9 variants · 16 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #37,233
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-HIGH 16 pairs
  • VAR-MID 9 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 6,566
  • PHOTO-FINISH spotter

Nearest frequency peer: spotter (-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 “squint”

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

corpus weight

What this shows “squint” 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).

squint vs suit
67% similar
squint vs stunt
67% similar
squint vs stint
67% similar

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

Key facts for squint
PropertyValue
Headwordsquint
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/skwɪnt/
Letters6
Frequency rank#37,233
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs16
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “squint”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).squintlands 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 “spotter” (#37,232), “spooner” (#37,231), “stenosis” (#37,235). Among 6,566 “S” headwords, “squint” is #37,233. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 9 spelling variants around squint (IPA /skwɪnt/), averb. Corpus frequency is #37,233 among 6,566 “S” headwords. Wiktionary lists 6 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for squint, with forms such as "qsuint", "sqiunt", and "sqquint". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 16 confusable-pair relationships, "suit", "stunt", "stint", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Derived from asquint (“obliquely, with a sidelong glance”). The correct English form is squint, spelled S-Q-U-I-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    To look with the eyes partly closed, as in bright sunlight, or as a threatening expression.
  2. 2
    To look or glance sideways.
  3. 3
    To look with, or have eyes that are turned in different directions; to suffer from strabismus.
  4. 4
    To have an indirect bearing, reference, or implication; to have an allusion to, or inclination towards, something.
  5. 5
    To be not quite straight, off-centred; to deviate from a true line; to run obliquely.
  6. 6
    To turn to an oblique position; to direct obliquely.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. The children squinted to frighten each other.
  2. “A tight little craft,” was Austin’s invariable comment on the matron;[…]. ¶ Near her wandered her husband, orientally bland, invariably affable, and from time to time squinting sideways, as usual, in the ever-renewed expectation that he might catch a glimpse of his stiff, retroussé moustache.

Etymology

Derived from asquint (“obliquely, with a sidelong glance”).

Synonyms

skelly

This word in other languages

bizquear(Español)plisser les yeux(Français)blinzeln(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • qsuint
  • sqiunt
  • sqquint
  • squinnt
  • squintt
  • squitn
  • squnit
  • ssquint
  • suqint

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

qsuint2sqiunt2sqquint1squinnt1squintt1squitn2squnit2ssquint1
Edit distance from "squint"

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 "squint"?
"squint" is spelled S-Q-U-I-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /skwɪnt/.
What does "squint" mean?
As a verb, "squint" means: To look with the eyes partly closed, as in bright sunlight, or as a threatening expression.
What words are commonly confused with "squint"?
"squint" is commonly confused with "suit", "stunt", "stint". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "squint"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "squint" is /skwɪnt/. 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 "squint"?
Derived from asquint (“obliquely, with a sidelong glance”). 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 "squint", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

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

Snoopy#37,229skated#37,226sizzle#37,225sicker#37,221

Similar misspelling depth

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

spotter9 variantsterrify9 variantsSayers9 variantsverily9 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list