without

/wɪðˈaʊt/

//wɪðˈaʊt// adv

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

"without" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“without” is in the everyday core of English, ranked #193 in English word frequency and used as an adverb.

#193
frequency rank, English
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Outside, externally.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

without vs wipeout
71% similar

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

Key facts for without
PropertyValue
Headwordwithout
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdverb
IPA/wɪðˈaʊt/
Letters7
Frequency rank#193
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “without” 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). without 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 without is 7 letters long, classified as an adverb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /wɪðˈaʊt/. Corpus data places it at rank #193 in overall English word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for without, with forms such as "iwthout", "wihtout", and "withhout". 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, "wipeout", 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 withoute, withouten, from Old English wiþūtan (literally “against the outside of”). Compare Dutch buiten (“outside of, without”), Danish uden (“without”), Swedish utan (“without”), Norwegian uten (“without”). By surface analysis, with- +… The correct English form is without, spelled W-I-T-H-O-U-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Outside, externally.
  2. 2
    Lacking something; failing.
  3. 3
    Without a condom being worn.

Etymology

From Middle English withoute, withouten, from Old English wiþūtan (literally “against the outside of”). Compare Dutch buiten (“outside of, without”), Danish uden (“without”), Swedish utan (“without”), Norwegian uten (“without”). By surface analysis, with- + out. Superseded non-native Middle English sauns, sans (“without”), from Old French sans, sanz, senz (“without”). Compare typologically Proto-Slavic *bez (“without”) (<+ Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰs (“out”)).

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: iwthout,wihtout,withhout,withotu,withoutt,withuot,witohut,witthout,wtihout,wwithout

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of without - 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.

iwthout2wihtout2withhout1withotu2withoutt1withuot2witohut2witthout1
Edit distance from "without"

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 "without"?
"without" is spelled W-I-T-H-O-U-T. The IPA pronunciation is /wɪðˈaʊt/.
What does "without" mean?
As an adverb, "without" means: Outside, externally.
What words are commonly confused with "without"?
"without" is commonly confused with "wipeout". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "without"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "without" is /wɪðˈaʊt/. 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 "without"?
From Middle English withoute, withouten, from Old English wiþūtan (literally “against the outside of”). Compare Dutch buiten (“outside of, without”), Danish uden (“without”), Swedish utan (“without”), Norwegian uten (“without”). By surface analysi... 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 “without”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is W-I-T-H-O-U-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /wɪðˈaʊt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “wipeout” - see the side-by-side comparison. without vs wipeout
  • 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