Top 50 Challenging Pronunciations – English is full of words that are tricky to pronounce correctly. Even native speakers struggle with some words and names. Mispronouncing a word can sometimes lead to embarrassing situations or confusion. As a result, improving your pronunciation will help you speak English more clearly and confidently. Specifically, this article features 50 of the most notoriously difficult English words to pronounce. For each word, the correct pronunciation is provided along with tips and explanations. With practice, these challenging pronunciation pitfalls can be mastered over time.Top 50 Challenging Pronunciations

1. Caribbean

Pronunciation: kuh-RIB-ee-uhn

The ‘rib’ syllable is often mispronounced as ‘ribb’ which is incorrect. Take care to pronounce the ‘i’ vowel clearly.

2. Epitome

Pronunciation: eh-PIT-oh-mee

Stress the ‘pit’ syllable and pronounce the ending ‘tome’ as ‘oh-mee’ not ‘tome’.

3. Equation

Pronunciation: eh-KWAY-zhuhn

Take care with the ‘qua’ syllable. The ‘a’ is pronounced as in ‘way’, not as in ‘cat’.

4. Esophageal

Pronunciation: eh-SAH-fuh-jee-uhl

Pronounce the first ‘e’ and stress the ‘sa’ syllable. The ending ‘geal’ is pronounced ‘jee-uhl’.

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5. Ethereal

Pronunciation: eh-THEER-ee-uhl

Stress the ‘theer’ syllable. Don’t leave off the first ‘e’.

6. Exquisite

Pronunciation: EKS-kwih-zit

Pronounce the ‘x’ clearly at the beginning. Stress the first syllable.

7. February

Pronunciation: FEB-roo-eh-ree

Pronounce both ‘r’s. The ending sounds like ‘you-eh-ree’.

8. Library

Pronunciation: LYE-brer-ee

The middle syllable rhymes with ‘brrr’, not ‘berry’. Pronounce both ‘r’s.

9. Mischievous

Pronunciation: MISS-chuh-vuhs

Stress the first syllable and pronounce the ‘i’ short, as in ‘miss’.

10. Niche

Pronunciation: neesh

Pronounce it ‘neesh’ not ‘nitch’. The ending sounds like ‘sheesh’.NYSC Portal

11. Ophthalmologist

Pronunciation: ahf-THAL-muh-luh-jist

Break it into syllables for accuracy. Stress ‘thal’ and pronounce the ‘phth’ clearly.

12. Paraphernalia

Pronunciation: par-uh-fuh-NAY-lee-uh

Stress the ‘nay’ syllable. Pronounce all the vowels clearly.

13. Pecan

Pronunciation: puh-KAHN

The ending sounds like ‘kahn’, not ‘can’. The stress is on the second syllable.

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14. Phoenix

Pronunciation: FEE-nix

Stress and hold the first syllable ‘fee’. Don’t pronounce the ‘oe’.

15. Playwright

Pronunciation: PLAY-rite

Stress the first syllable. The ending rhymes with ‘kite’, not ‘right’.

16. Premiere

Pronunciation: pruh-MEER

Stress the second syllable. The ending sounds like ‘meer’, not ‘meer-ee’.

17. Quinoa

Pronunciation: keen-wah

Stress the first syllable ‘keen’, not the second. Pronounce the ‘qu’ clearly.

18. Renaissance

Pronunciation: REN-uh-sahnce

Stress the first syllable. Pronounce both ‘n’s and the ending ‘sahnce’.

19. Salmon

Pronunciation: SA-muhn Pronounce the ‘L’.

Stress the first syllable ‘sa’, not the second.

20. Sriracha

Pronunciation: see-RAH-chuh

Stress the second syllable. Pronounce the ‘sr’ together.

21. Tsunami

Pronunciation: tsoo-NAH-mee

Stress the second syllable. Pronounce the ‘ts’ sound clearly at the start.

22. Wednesday

Pronunciation: WENZ-day

The ‘d’ is silent. Stress the first syllable.

23. Accessory

Pronunciation: AK-suh-sah-ree

Stress the first syllable. Pronounce the ‘c’s as in ‘access’ not ‘lock’.

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24. Applicable

Pronunciation: AP-lih-kuh-buhl

Stress the first syllable. Pronounce the ‘c’ like a ‘k’.

25. Appalling

Pronunciation: uh-PAW-ling

Stress the second syllable ‘paw’, not the first.

26. Applicable

Pronunciation: uh-PLAY-kuh-buhl

Stress and hold the second syllable ‘play’. Don’t leave off the first ‘a’.

27. Avocado

Pronunciation: ah-vuh-KAH-doh

Stress the third syllable ‘kah’. The ending rhymes with ‘dough’.

28. Bestial

Pronunciation: BESS-chuhl

Stress the first syllable. The ending sounds like ‘chuhl’, not ‘shul’.

29. Cachet

Pronunciation: ka-SHAY

Stress the second syllable. Pronounce the ending ‘shay’, not ‘chet’.

30. Candid

Pronunciation: KAN-did

Stress the first syllable. The ending rhymes with ‘kid’, not ‘kind’.

31. Chameleon

Pronunciation: kuh-MEE-lee-uhn

Stress the second syllable ‘mee’. Pronounce all the vowels.

32. Chiropractor

Pronunciation: kye-roh-PRAK-ter

Stress the third syllable ‘prak’. Pronounce the ending ‘ter’, not ‘tor’.

33. Clandestine

Pronunciation: klan-DESS-tin

Stress the second syllable. Pronounce the ‘t’ in the ending.

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34. Cockroach

Pronunciation: KAHK-roach

Stress the first syllable ‘kahk’, not the second.Information guide Nigeria

35. Comorbidity

Pronunciation: ko-mor-BID-ih-tee

Stress the third syllable ‘bid’. Pronounce each syllable clearly.

36. Deduction

Pronunciation: dih-DUHK-shuhn

Stress and hold the second syllable ‘duhk’.

37. Deterrent

Pronunciation: dih-TEHR-uhnt

Stress the second syllable ‘tehr’. Pronounce the ‘t’.

38. Diverticulitis

Pronunciation: dye-vur-tik-yoo-LYE-tis

Stress ‘vur’ and ‘lye’. Pronounce all the syllables clearly.

39. Harass

Pronunciation: huh-RASSGood morning My Love Message

Stress the second syllable. Don’t leave off the first ‘h’.

40. Hyperbole

Pronunciation: hye-PURR-buh-lee

Stress ‘purr’. Pronounce each syllable clearly.

41. Integral

Pronunciation: IN-tuh-gruhl

Stress the first syllable. Pronounce the ‘t’. Also, don’t add an ‘a’ before the ‘l’.

42. Leisure

Pronunciation: LEH-zhur

Stress the first syllable. The ending sounds like ‘zhur’.

43. Lingerie

Pronunciation: lawn-zhuh-RAY

Stress the third syllable. Pronounce the ending ‘ray’.

44. Millennium

Pronunciation: mih-LEHN-ee-uhm

Stress the second syllable ‘lehn’. Pronounce both ‘n’s.JAMB portal

45. Misled

Pronunciation: miss-LED

Stress the first syllable. The ending rhymes with ‘bed’, not ‘lead’.

46. Niche

Pronunciation: NEESH

Rhymes with ‘sheesh’. Don’t pronounce the ‘t’.

47. nuclear

Pronunciation: NOO-klee-uhr

Stress the first syllable ‘noo’. Pronounce the ‘u’ clearly.Romantic love message

48. Pitcher

Pronunciation: PIH-cher

Stress the first syllable ‘pih’. The ending rhymes with ‘itcher’.

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49. vitamin

Pronunciation: VYE-tuh-min

Stress the first syllable ‘vye’. Pronounce the ‘i’ long not short.

50. Yellow

Pronunciation: YEH-loh

Stress the first syllable ‘yeh’. The ending rhymes with ‘fellow’.

Conclusion:

In summary, mastering these 50 commonly mispronounced English words will help you speak with accuracy and eloquence. Specifically, with continuous practice over time, tricky pronunciations will become automatic. As a result, you’ll gain confidence in your spoken English abilities. Moving forward, aim to incorporate these words into your everyday conversational vocabulary in order to improve. Overall, addressing these challenging pronunciations will allow you to speak English more clearly and fluently.

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