strict

/stɹɪkt/

//stɹɪkt// adj

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

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

The verdict

“strict” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #4,898 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#4,898
frequency rank, English
6
letters
10
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Strained; drawn close; tight.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

strict vs strip
67% similar
strict vs strut
67% similar
strict vs strike
67% similar

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

Key facts for strict
PropertyValue
Headwordstrict
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/stɹɪkt/
Letters6
Frequency rank#4,898
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “strict” 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). strict 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 strict is 6 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /stɹɪkt/. Corpus data places it at rank #4,898 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for strict, with forms such as "srtict", "sstrict", and "stirct". 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 20 confusable-pair relationships, "strip", "strut", "strike", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin strictus, past participle of stringere (“to draw tight, bind, contract”). Doublet of strait and stretto. See stringent, strain. Related to strong. The correct English form is strict, spelled S-T-R-I-C-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Strained; drawn close; tight.
  2. 2
    Tense; not relaxed.
  3. 3
    Exact; accurate; precise; rigorously particular.
  4. 4
    Governed or governing by exact rules; observing exact rules; severe; rigorous.
  5. 5
    Rigidly interpreted; exactly limited; confined; restricted.
  6. 6
    Upright, or straight and narrow; — said of the shape of the plants or their flower clusters.
  7. 7
    Severe in discipline.
  8. 8
    Irreflexive; if the described object is defined to be reflexive, that condition is overridden and replaced with irreflexive.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin strictus, past participle of stringere (“to draw tight, bind, contract”). Doublet of strait and stretto. See stringent, strain. Related to strong.

This word in other languages

estricto(Español)strict(Français)streng(Deutsch)apertado(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: srtict,sstrict,stirct,strcit,stricct,strictt,stritc,strrict,sttrict,tsrict

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

srtict2sstrict1stirct2strcit2stricct1strictt1stritc2strrict1
Edit distance from "strict"

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 "strict"?
"strict" is spelled S-T-R-I-C-T. The IPA pronunciation is /stɹɪkt/.
What does "strict" mean?
As an adjective, "strict" means: Strained; drawn close; tight.
What words are commonly confused with "strict"?
"strict" is commonly confused with "strip", "strut", "strike". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "strict"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "strict" is /stɹɪkt/. 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 "strict"?
Borrowed from Latin strictus, past participle of stringere (“to draw tight, bind, contract”). Doublet of strait and stretto. See stringent, strain. Related to strong. 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 “strict”

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

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