wayward

/ˈweɪwə(ɹ)d/

//ˈweɪwə(ɹ)d// adj

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

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

The verdict

“wayward” has 11 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #25,974. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#25,974
frequency rank, English
1,759
“W” headwords
11
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Given to a wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray.

Corpus desk

Index EN-wayward · wayward · English

wayward · rank #25,974 · 11 variants · 1 confusable

  • FREQ-MID #25,974
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 1 pairs
  • VAR-MID 11 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,759
  • PHOTO-FINISH Waterford

Nearest frequency peer: Waterford (-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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “wayward”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “wayward” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

wayward vs Wayland
57% similar

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

Key facts for wayward
PropertyValue
Headwordwayward
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈweɪwə(ɹ)d/
Letters7
Frequency rank#25,974
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “wayward”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).waywardlands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “Waterford” (#25,973), “Willoughby” (#25,975), “watchful” (#25,972). Among 1,759 “W” headwords, “wayward” is #25,974. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 11 spelling variants around wayward (IPA /ˈweɪwə(ɹ)d/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #25,974 among 1,759 “W” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for wayward, with forms such as "awyward", "wawyard", and "wayawrd". 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, "Wayland", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Shortening of away + -ward. The correct English form is wayward, spelled W-A-Y-W-A-R-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    Given to a wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray.
  2. 2
    Obstinate, contrary and unpredictable.
  3. 3
    Not on target.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. He is a brilliant fellow when he chooses to work—one of the brightest intellects of the University, but he is wayward, dissipated, and unprincipled.
  2. Fancies are like shadows . . . you can’t cage them, they’re such wayward, dancing things.

Etymology

Shortening of away + -ward.

Synonyms

vagabondvagrant

This word in other languages

desobediente(Español)eigenwillig(Deutsch)desobediente(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • awyward
  • wawyard
  • wayawrd
  • waywadr
  • waywardd
  • waywarrd
  • waywrad
  • waywward
  • wayyward
  • wwayward
  • wyaward

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of wayward - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

awyward2wawyard2wayawrd2waywadr2waywardd1waywarrd1waywrad2waywward1
Edit distance from "wayward"

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 "wayward"?
"wayward" is spelled W-A-Y-W-A-R-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈweɪwə(ɹ)d/.
What does "wayward" mean?
As an adjective, "wayward" means: Given to a wilful, perverse deviation from the expected norm; tending to stray.
What words are commonly confused with "wayward"?
"wayward" is commonly confused with "Wayland". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "wayward"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "wayward" is /ˈweɪwə(ɹ)d/. 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 "wayward"?
Shortening of away + -ward. 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 "wayward", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

wronged#25,980airflow#25,994tourney#25,953Antigua#26,003

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (11 here; floor ≥5).

antelope11 variantsSwindon11 variantsbasilica11 variantsstardom11 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list