trance

/tɹɑːns/

//tɹɑːns// noun

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

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

The verdict

“trance” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #15,296 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#15,296
frequency rank, English
6
letters
10
tracked misspellings
19
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A dazed or unconscious condition.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

trance vs trans
67% similar
trance vs truce
67% similar
trance vs trench
67% similar

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

Key facts for trance
PropertyValue
Headwordtrance
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/tɹɑːns/
Letters6
Frequency rank#15,296
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs19
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “trance” 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). trance 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 trance is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /tɹɑːns/. Corpus data places it at rank #15,296 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 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 trance, with forms such as "rtance", "tarnce", and "tracne". 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 19 confusable-pair relationships, "trans", "truce", "trench", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English traunce, from Anglo-Norman transe (“fear of coming evil; passage from life to death”), from transir (“to be numb with fear; to die, pass on”), from Latin trānseō (“to cross over”). The correct English form is trance, spelled T-R-A-N-C-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A dazed or unconscious condition.
  2. 2
    A state of awareness, concentration, or focus that filters experience and information (for example, a state of meditation or possession by some being).
  3. 3
    A state of low response to stimulus and diminished, narrow attention; particularly one induced by hypnosis.
  4. 4
    Ellipsis of trance music (“genre of electronic dance music”).

Etymology

From Middle English traunce, from Anglo-Norman transe (“fear of coming evil; passage from life to death”), from transir (“to be numb with fear; to die, pass on”), from Latin trānseō (“to cross over”).

This word in other languages

trance(Español)trance(Français)Trance(Deutsch)desmaio(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: rtance,tarnce,tracne,trancce,tranec,trannce,trence,trnace,trrance,ttrance

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

rtance2tarnce2tracne2trancce1tranec2trannce1trence1trnace2
Edit distance from "trance"

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 "trance"?
"trance" is spelled T-R-A-N-C-E. The IPA pronunciation is /tɹɑːns/.
What does "trance" mean?
As a noun, "trance" means: A dazed or unconscious condition.
What words are commonly confused with "trance"?
"trance" is commonly confused with "trans", "truce", "trench". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "trance"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "trance" is /tɹɑːns/. 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 "trance"?
From Middle English traunce, from Anglo-Norman transe (“fear of coming evil; passage from life to death”), from transir (“to be numb with fear; to die, pass on”), from Latin trānseō (“to cross over”). 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 “trance”

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

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