wanton

/ˈwɒntən/

//ˈwɒntən// adj

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

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

The verdict

“wanton” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #34,743 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#34,743
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
12
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Undisciplined, unruly; not able to be controlled.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

wanton vs wants
67% similar
wanton vs Watson
50% similar
wanton vs Weston
50% similar

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

Key facts for wanton
PropertyValue
Headwordwanton
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈwɒntən/
Letters6
Frequency rank#34,743
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs12
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “wanton” 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). wanton 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 wanton is 6 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈwɒntən/. Corpus data places it at rank #34,743 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for wanton, with forms such as "awnton", "wannton", and "wanotn". 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 12 confusable-pair relationships, "wants", "Watson", "Weston", 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 wantoun, wantowen, wantoȝen, wantowe (“uneducated; unrestrained; licentious; sportive; playful”), from wan- (“not, un-, mis-”) + towen, i-towen (“educated”, literally “towed; led; drawn”), from Old English togen, ġetogen, past participle… The correct English form is wanton, spelled W-A-N-T-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    Undisciplined, unruly; not able to be controlled.
  2. 2
    Playful, sportive; merry or carefree.
  3. 3
    Lewd, immoral; sexually open, unchaste.
  4. 4
    Capricious, reckless of morality, justice etc.; acting without regard for the law or the well-being of others; gratuitous.
  5. 5
    Extravagant, unrestrained, excessive.

Etymology

From Middle English wantoun, wantowen, wantoȝen, wantowe (“uneducated; unrestrained; licentious; sportive; playful”), from wan- (“not, un-, mis-”) + towen, i-towen (“educated”, literally “towed; led; drawn”), from Old English togen, ġetogen, past participle of tēon (“to train, discipline”), equivalent to wan- + towed.

Synonyms

anarchicanarchicalbrattychaoticdifficultdionysiacdionysiandisciplinelessfractiousgovernlessgung hoindisciplinedirrepressiblelawlessloose-handedrampantrantipolestanchlessunbridleduncheckeduncontrolleduncontrollableundisciplinedungovernableungoverneduninhibitedunreinedunrestrainedunrulyuntowardunvanquishedout of controlout of jointwantonwild

Antonyms

apollonianconstraineddisciplinedinhibitedrepressiblerestrainedrulyunder controlorderly

This word in other languages

indisciplinado(Español)indiscipliné(Français)wild(Deutsch)indisciplinado(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: awnton,wannton,wanotn,wantno,wantonn,wantton,watnon,wnaton,wwanton

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

awnton2wannton1wanotn2wantno2wantonn1wantton1watnon2wnaton2
Edit distance from "wanton"

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 "wanton"?
"wanton" is spelled W-A-N-T-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈwɒntən/.
What does "wanton" mean?
As an adjective, "wanton" means: Undisciplined, unruly; not able to be controlled.
What words are commonly confused with "wanton"?
"wanton" is commonly confused with "wants", "Watson", "Weston". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "wanton"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "wanton" is /ˈwɒntən/. 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 "wanton"?
From Middle English wantoun, wantowen, wantoȝen, wantowe (“uneducated; unrestrained; licentious; sportive; playful”), from wan- (“not, un-, mis-”) + towen, i-towen (“educated”, literally “towed; led; drawn”), from Old English togen, ġetogen, past ... 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 “wanton”

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

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