zonk
/zɒŋk/
"zonk" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“zonk” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a noun - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 4
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An unfavorable card or token, or undesirable or worthless item used as a prize in a contest or game show (such as Let's Make a Deal).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | zonk |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | /zɒŋk/ |
| Letters | 4 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “zonk” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for zonk is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /zɒŋk/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
zonk doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.
Etymologically, the entry records: First attested around 1950. Unknown origin, likely imitative, of echoic origin. The correct English form is zonk, spelled Z-O-N-K.
Definition
- 1An unfavorable card or token, or undesirable or worthless item used as a prize in a contest or game show (such as Let's Make a Deal).
- 2The feeling of a drug taking hold.
- 3A cigarette hand-rolled from tobacco and cannabis.
Etymology
First attested around 1950. Unknown origin, likely imitative, of echoic origin.
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “zonk”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is Z-O-N-K - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /zɒŋk/ (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
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.