utz

/ʊts/

//ʊts// verb

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

"utz" is a 3-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“utz” is uncommon English (frequency #95,570 among 1,433 “U” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#95,570
frequency rank, English
1,433
“U” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 2, 2026) - To prod; goad; push someone's buttons

Corpus desk

Index EN-utz · utz · English

utz · rank #95,570 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #95,570
  • LEN-MID 3 letters
  • VOW-1 1 vowel
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,433
  • PHOTO-FINISH util

Nearest frequency peer: util (-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 “utz”

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

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “utz” 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
Key facts for utz
PropertyValue
Headwordutz
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ʊts/
Letters3
Frequency rank#95,570
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “utz” 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). utz lands here:

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

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

Rare enough to double-check

utz is uncommon English at frequency #95,570 among 1,433 “U” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ʊts/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "To prod; goad; push someone's buttons".

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for utz, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: Probably borrowed from German uzen (“to kid; tease”). The correct English form is utz, spelled U-T-Z.

Definition

  1. 1
    To prod; goad; push someone's buttons

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. Since you saved my life you decided you have the right to run it. You’ve utzed me along every step of the way. You’ve hammered, drove, pushed, shoved, and if that wasn’t enough, you’d looked at me with those great big cow eyes of yours … and I’d melt and go along. — Bing Crosby, White Christmas.
  2. He picked up several large canteloupes, hefted them for weight, then utzed the farmer, “Hey, can't you sabras grow bigger peaches than these?”

Etymology

Probably borrowed from German uzen (“to kid; tease”).

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 "utz"?
"utz" is spelled U-T-Z. The IPA pronunciation is /ʊts/.
What does "utz" mean?
As a verb, "utz" means: To prod; goad; push someone's buttons
How do you pronounce "utz"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "utz" is /ʊts/. 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 "utz"?
Probably borrowed from German uzen (“to kid; tease”). 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 "utz", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 3 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

UNR#95,562Ude#95,548WCG#95,601wus#95,616

What to do next

You've looked up "utz". Here's where to go from here.

  • Usage frequency rank #95,570 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "U" letter cohort. U–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

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