washout

/ˈwɒʃaʊt/

//ˈwɒʃaʊt// noun

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

"washout" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“washout” is uncommon English (frequency #52,095 among 12,113 “W” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#52,095
frequency rank, English
12,113
“W” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An act of washing or cleaning the inside of something.

Key facts for washout
PropertyValue
Headwordwashout
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈwɒʃaʊt/
Letters7
Frequency rank#52,095
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “washout” 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). washout 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

washout is uncommon English at frequency #52,095 among 12,113 “W” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈwɒʃaʊt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 15 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for washout in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: Deverbal from wash out. The correct English form is washout, spelled W-A-S-H-O-U-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    An act of washing or cleaning the inside of something.
  2. 2
    An appliance designed to wash out the inside of something.
  3. 3
    The erosion of a relatively soft surface by a sudden gush of water; also, a channel produced by this action.
  4. 4
    The erosion of a relatively soft surface by a sudden gush of water; also, a channel produced by this action.
  5. 5
    A sporting fixture or other event that cannot be completed because of rain.
  6. 6
    An overwhelming victory; a landslide.
  7. 7
    A total failure; a disappointment.
  8. 8
    An unsuccessful person.
  9. 9
    The aerodynamic effect of a small twist in the shape of an aircraft wing.
  10. 10
    A destroyed aeroplane.
  11. 11
    A trainee who drops out of a training programme.
  12. 12
    A period between clinical treatments in which any medication delivered as the first treatment is allowed to be eliminated from a person's body before the second treatment begins.
  13. 13
    The cleaning of matter from a physiological system using a fluid; also, the fluid used for such cleaning; or the matter cleaned out from the system.
  14. 14
    The action whereby falling rainwater cleans particles from the air.
  15. 15
    A place in a mine where ore has been washed away by a flow of water.

Etymology

Deverbal from wash out.

This word in other languages

derrama(Español)raté(Français)

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 "washout"?
"washout" is spelled W-A-S-H-O-U-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈwɒʃaʊt/.
What does "washout" mean?
As a noun, "washout" means: An act of washing or cleaning the inside of something.
How do you pronounce "washout"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "washout" is /ˈwɒʃaʊt/. 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 "washout"?
Deverbal from wash out. 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 “washout”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is W-A-S-H-O-U-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈwɒʃaʊt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

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