unconscious

/ˌʌnˈkɒnʃəs/

//ˌʌnˈkɒnʃəs// adj

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

"unconscious" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“unconscious” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #7,866 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#7,866
frequency rank, English
11
letters
16
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Not awake; having no awareness (usually as the result of a head injury).

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

unconscious vs unconsciously
85% similar

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

Key facts for unconscious
PropertyValue
Headwordunconscious
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˌʌnˈkɒnʃəs/
Letters11
Frequency rank#7,866
Misspellings tracked16
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “unconscious” 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). unconscious 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 unconscious is 11 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌʌnˈkɒnʃəs/. Corpus data places it at rank #7,866 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 16 likely wrong-spelling variants for unconscious, with forms such as "nuconscious", "ucnonscious", and "uncconscious". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "unconsciously", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From un- + conscious. The correct English form is unconscious, spelled U-N-C-O-N-S-C-I-O-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    Not awake; having no awareness (usually as the result of a head injury).
  2. 2
    Without directed thought or awareness.
  3. 3
    engaged in skilled performance without conscious control.

Etymology

From un- + conscious.

This word in other languages

inconsciente(Español)inconscient(Français)bewusstlos(Deutsch)inconsciente(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: nuconscious,ucnonscious,uncconscious,uncnoscious,unconcsious,unconnscious,unconsccious,unconsciosu,unconsciouss,unconsciuos,unconscoius,unconsicous,unconsscious,uncosncious,unnconscious,unocnscious

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

nuconscious2ucnonscious2uncconscious1uncnoscious2unconcsious2unconnscious1unconsccious1unconsciosu2
Edit distance from "unconscious"

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 "unconscious"?
"unconscious" is spelled U-N-C-O-N-S-C-I-O-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌʌnˈkɒnʃəs/.
What does "unconscious" mean?
As an adjective, "unconscious" means: Not awake; having no awareness (usually as the result of a head injury).
What words are commonly confused with "unconscious"?
"unconscious" is commonly confused with "unconsciously". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "unconscious"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "unconscious" is /ˌʌnˈkɒnʃəs/. 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 "unconscious"?
From un- + conscious. 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 “unconscious”

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

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