tank

/ˈtæŋk/

//ˈtæŋk// noun

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

"tank" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“tank” has 6 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #2,647. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#2,647
frequency rank, English
3,151
“T” headwords
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 2, 2026) - A closed container for liquids or gases.

Corpus desk

Index EN-tank · tank · English

tank · rank #2,647 · 6 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #2,647
  • LEN-MID 4 letters
  • VOW-1 1 vowel
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 6 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,151
  • PHOTO-FINISH storage

Nearest frequency peer: storage (-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.

Frequency neighbourhood for “tank”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “tank” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 2, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

tank vs TN
0% similar
tank vs TK
0% similar
tank vs tax
50% similar

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

Key facts for tank
PropertyValue
Headwordtank
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈtæŋk/
Letters4
Frequency rank#2,647
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “tank” 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). tank lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 6 spelling variants around tank (IPA /ˈtæŋk/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #2,647 among 3,151 “T” headwords. Wiktionary lists 15 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for tank, with forms such as "atnk", "takn", and "tankk". 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, "TN", "TK", "tax", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Portuguese tanque (“tank, liquid container”), from an Indo-Aryan language, likely Gujarati ટાંકી (ṭā̃kī, “cistern”) or Marathi टांकी (ṭāṅkī). Compare the Arabic verb اِسْتَنْقَعَ (istanqaʕa, “to become stagnant, to stagnate”). In the sense of armoured … The correct English form is tank, spelled T-A-N-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    A closed container for liquids or gases.
  2. 2
    An open container or pool for storing water or other liquids.
  3. 3
    A pond, pool, or small lake (either natural or artificial).
  4. 4
    The fuel reservoir of a vehicle.
  5. 5
    The amount held by a container; a tankful.
  6. 6
    An armoured fighting vehicle, armed with a gun designed for direct fire, and moving on caterpillar tracks.
  7. 7
    A reservoir or dam.
  8. 8
    A structure of tightly overlapping leaves used by some bromeliads to retain water.
  9. 9
    A very muscular and physically imposing person; somebody who is built like a tank.
  10. 10
    A bouncer or doorman.
  11. 11
    A unit or character designed primarily around damage absorption and holding the attention of the enemy (as opposed to dealing damage, healing, or other tasks).
  12. 12
    A prison cell, or prison generally.
  13. 13
    A metaphorical place where a player goes to contemplate a decision; see in the tank.
  14. 14
    Ellipsis of tank engine or tank locomotive.
  15. 15
    Ellipsis of tank top.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. The propane is stored in these tanks.
  2. The tank contains unfiltered water. You really shouldn't drink from that.

Etymology

From Portuguese tanque (“tank, liquid container”), from an Indo-Aryan language, likely Gujarati ટાંકી (ṭā̃kī, “cistern”) or Marathi टांकी (ṭāṅkī). Compare the Arabic verb اِسْتَنْقَعَ (istanqaʕa, “to become stagnant, to stagnate”). In the sense of armoured vehicle, first attested in 1915, prototypes were described as tanks for carrying water to disguise their nature as well as due to physical resemblance.

Synonyms

battle tankcombat tankarmourtango

Antonyms

glass cannon

This word in other languages

tanque(Español)citerne(Français)Behälter(Deutsch)tanque(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • atnk
  • takn
  • tankk
  • tannk
  • tnak
  • ttank

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of tank - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

atnk2takn2tankk1tannk1tnak2ttank1
Edit distance from "tank"

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.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 2, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "tank"?
"tank" is spelled T-A-N-K. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtæŋk/.
What does "tank" mean?
As a noun, "tank" means: A closed container for liquids or gases.
What words are commonly confused with "tank"?
"tank" is commonly confused with "TN", "TK", "tax". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "tank"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "tank" is /ˈtæŋk/. 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 "tank"?
From Portuguese tanque (“tank, liquid container”), from an Indo-Aryan language, likely Gujarati ટાંકી (ṭā̃kī, “cistern”) or Marathi टांकी (ṭāṅkī). Compare the Arabic verb اِسْتَنْقَعَ (istanqaʕa, “to become stagnant, to stagnate”). In the sense of... 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 "tank", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 4 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

tend#2,648yard#2,654navy#2,632mess#2,631

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (6 here; floor ≥5).

chat6 variantsgolf6 variantsassume6 variantslatter6 variants
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