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Reader's Digest
rd.com › knowledge › grammar & spelling
20 Hard Words to Pronounce That Even Get Language Buffs Tongue-Tied
July 14, 2025 - Below, you’ll find a list of 20 hard words to pronounce. Some are fancy, others are funny, but they all have one thing in common—their correct pronunciation is sure to wrack your brain (and tongue!). The first 10 words on the list are from Unscrambled Words, who had word experts analyze average Google searches from the past year to see which words Americans found most challenging to pronounce.
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Dictionary.com
dictionary.com › e › hard-words-to-pronounce
26 Of The Hardest English Words To Pronounce | Dictionary.com
November 16, 2021 - The –ie and –ous endings often make people think there are [ ee ] sounds in the word [ mis-chee-vee-uhs ], but there aren’t. The word is simply three syllables long, without any [ ee ] sounds: [ mis-chuh-vuhs ]. As we noted earlier, the R sound in English can be tricky. That’s what makes murderer, with its three R sounds particularly difficult to pronounce.
Discussions

What are the words that you struggle to pronounce?
🌐 r/EnglishLearning
381
106
February 18, 2024
English as a second language, what are the hardest words to pronounce?
Yes, like you say, people tend to have trouble with “r” and “l” next to each other: squirrel rural There’s a running gag on the American TV show 30 Rock about a movie called “Rural Juror,” which is weird even for natives. Also “th” and “r:” thread thrill English maintaining contrast between: both “th” sounds, “f,” and “v” gives a lot of learners trouble. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/EnglishLearning
232
113
September 4, 2024
What's the hardest English word to pronounce?
When I was on Korea, I admit I did enjoy having the locals try to say "refrigerator" They always pronounced it "leefligahlata" More on reddit.com
🌐 r/AskReddit
5351
2181
March 26, 2015
Hard Words to Pronounce and Spell
Cholmondeley and Featherstonehaugh come to mind (English surnames, pronounced Chumley and Fanshaw). More on reddit.com
🌐 r/ENGLISH
12
2
March 6, 2024
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Oxford Language Club
oxfordlanguageclub.com › page › blog › 40-hard-to-pronounce-words-youre-probably-getting-wrong
40 Hard-to-Pronounce Words You're Probably Getting Wrong
In other words, as long as people can understand you, you are successfully using language for its primary purpose: communication. ... What it means: a strong coffee of Italian origin, made by forcing hot water through finely-ground coffee beans ... What it means: a musical direction meaning loud (pronounced "for-TAY"); a strong point or a strength (pronounced "fort")
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EnglishClub
englishclub.com › efl › esl-magazine › pronunciation-50-words
50 Difficult Words to Pronounce | EnglishClub
Many of you shared other words that you (or your students) find difficult. Here are the first 25 words. Here is the second batch (compiled based on comments from learners and teachers via EC, Facebook, and MyEC). Let’s practise these words together: 1) Listen to the word.
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Berlitz
berlitz.com › blog › hardest-english-words-pronounce-spell
List of 252 Hardest English Words to Pronounce and Spell for Adults
January 31, 2023 - Explore 250+ of the hardest English words to spell and pronounce. Includes adult Spelling Bee words, common misspellings, and tricky pronunciation tips.
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Good Housekeeping
goodhousekeeping.com › life › the 31 most hard-to-pronounce words in the english language
The 31 Most Hard-to-Pronounce Words - Mispronounced English Words
July 21, 2017 - That's when similar consonants or vowels in a word become less alike, e.g. defibrillator becoming "defibyulator." ... The first R in deteriorate gets the same treatment. You could try to say it correctly, or just pick one of many, many synonyms instead: decay, decline, degenerate, devolve ... and that's just the Ds! ... Take heart. Almost everyone sounds like they have a lisp when they pronounce explicit.
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BoldVoice
boldvoice.com › blog › hardest-english-words-to-pronounce
51 of the Hardest English Words to Pronounce | BoldVoice
Therefore, the "j" is pronounced like an /h/, and the "ñ" makes a "ny" sound. The word "brewery" is straightforward, with the stress on the first syllable. A brewery is a facility where beer is produced commercially, and it often trips up non-native speakers of English. When something is nuclear, it is relating to the nucleus of an atom. Just as with many other difficult English words, non-native speakers may include an extra sound in between syllables, as in "new-cue-lur" or "noo-cue-lar."
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Busuu
busuu.com › en › english › hardest-english-words
20 Hard English Words To Pronounce With Phonerics - Busuu
February 20, 2024 - Because even though they share the same first two letters (“wh”) they are pronounced very differently. And this is where the frustration can begin. But don’t give up! In this article, we’ll dive into 20 hard English words. We’ll discover why English pronunciation is so difficult and how alphabet phonics, spelling, and silent letters combine to confuse language learners.
Find elsewhere
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EnglishBix
englishbix.com › home › blog › 40 hard words difficult to pronounce in english
40 Hard Words Difficult to Pronounce in English - EnglishBix
September 13, 2024 - In today’s session with EnglishBix, we would be discussing some of the hardest words that are difficult to pronounce even for adults. When you'll have
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IELTS
ielts.co.nz › idp ielts new zealand › prepare for ielts › full list of 50 difficult english words and synonyms in 2023
List of 50 Difficult Words & Synonyms in English | Updated 2023 | IDP IELTS
Last, but not least, a very difficult word to pronounce, write, and probably remember. Pulchritudinous also originates in Latin (interesting fact: Over 60% of all English words have Greek or Latin roots!).
Published   January 2, 2023
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Scribd
scribd.com › document › 140920727 › 1500-Vocabulary-Words
1500 Vocabulary Words | PDF
1500 Vocabulary Words - Free download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. This document provides definitions for 251 words. It begins with definitions for words like abhor, bigot, counterfeit, and enfranchise.
Rating: 4 ​ - ​ 87 votes
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LanguageTool
languagetool.org › home › 33 hard-to-pronounce words
33 Hard-to-Pronounce Words
June 12, 2025 - We’ll teach you how to say several words that English learners and native speakers struggle to pronounce correctly. Açai is a type of berry that is known for its health benefits. It’s difficult to pronounce because it originates from the Portuguese language and the “ç” (cedilla) is pronounced like an “s,” but also because the stress of the word falls on the second syllable.
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Just Learn
justlearn.com › blog › hard-english-words-to-pronounce
51 Hard English Words To Pronounce (What They Mean And How To Say Them) | Just Learn
March 18, 2024 - 51 English words that are difficult to pronounce, providing their pronunciations, meanings, and examples of use. The words range from common vocabulary to more complex terms, demonstrating the diversity of English pronunciation rules.
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BYJUS
byjus.com › english › difficult-words
Difficult Words
January 5, 2023 - Difficult Words in English Vocabulary Starting with the Letter ‘Z’ ... Are you thinking of a solution to enrich your English vocabulary? Practising difficult English words and using them frequently will help you.
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QuillBot
quillbot.com › home › 40 cool words | meanings & examples
40 Cool Words | Meanings & Examples
September 3, 2025 - Example: After hours in the freezing wind, he developed frostbite on his toes. ... Example: The actor’s living room was a hodgepodge of modern decoration and eccentric antiques. NoteHodgepodge is the American variant of this word. The British version is hotchpotch, which is pronounced “hoch-poch.”
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Quora
quora.com › What-are-the-hardest-English-words-for-non-native-speakers-to-hear-and-differentiate
What are the hardest English words for non-native speakers to hear and differentiate? - Quora
Answer (1 of 4): Numbers- 13/30, 14/40, etc. The difference is stress, not sounds, as native speakers don’t usually emphasize the “n” at the end of the teen words. There’s even a possibility that the confusion resulted in a plane crash, as the pilot misunderstood the altitude indicated by the air...
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MTS
mytutorsource.com › home › english › red-alert: 57 hard-english-words you might be saying wrong!
50+ Hard Words to Pronounce in English and How to Get them Right?
September 20, 2022 - Are you saying“bree-veery”? Or “brav-ary”? Any of these two pronunciations coming out of your mouth is incorrect! The word brewery is basically a bear house where the bear is officially prepared, and it is pronounced as “broo·uh·ree”. ...
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Speakenglishpodcast
speakenglishpodcast.com › wp-content › uploads › 2022 › 02 › 200-Difficult-Words-to-Pronounce-in-English.pdf pdf
200 Difficult Words to Pronounce in English
Another word that my students find difficult to · pronounce is deteriorate. Let's practice it for a bit. Listen and repeat after me: [ dih-teer-ee-uh-reyt ] Deteriorate. Deteriorate. Deteriorate. 4. Explicit · Don't worry. Almost everyone sounds a little funny ·
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Pinterest
pinterest.com › pin › the-most-difficult-words-to-pronounce-in-english-language-english-gradelevel-advanced-school-subject-engli--128141551890375956
The most difficult words to pronounce in English worksheet
March 13, 2022 - The most difficult words to pronounce in English 45572 worksheets by Víctor Gayol .The most difficult words to pronounce in English worksheet