We all know the embarrassing feeling of discovering we’ve mispronounced a word for years. On the other hand, some words are so commonly mispronounced that the “correct” pronunciation sounds downright strange.
Don’t feel bad if you’ve been mispronouncing some of these tricky words. A living language like English evolves and thrives precisely because it is spoken every day. Some choose to adhere to rigid rules (known as linguistic prescription) of grammar and pronunciation, and take pleasure the precision of English grammar and vocabulary. Others prefer the descriptive linguistics approach, which doesn’t apply judgments like correct or incorrect, but instead looks at how language is actually used.
In other words, as long as people can understand you, you are successfully using language for its primary purpose: communication.
01 – Accede
How to say it: ak-SEED
May be mispronounced: a-SEED
What it means: to consent, give approval; yield to another’s wishes
02 – Alias
How to say it: AY-lee-iss
What it means: an assumed name taken on temporarily, sometimes by a criminal or fugitive
03 – Anathema
How to say it: uh-NATH-uh-muh
What it means: someone or something that one strongly dislikes or loathes
04 -Anemone
How to say it: uh NEH muh nee
What it means: a flower in the buttercup family; a sedentary marine animal, as in sea anemone
05 – Apocryphal
How to say it: uh-POK-ruh-fuhl
What it means: of questionable authenticity, as in a story or statement
06 – Camaraderie
How to say it: kah-muh-RAH-duh-ree
May be mispronounced: kahm-RAH-duh-ree
What it means: easy familiarity and friendship, often built over time
07 – Colloquialism
How to say it: kuh-loh-kwee-uh-liz-uhm
What it means: a word, phrase, or expression that is conversational rather than formal
08 – Debauch
How to say it: dih-BAWCH
What it means: to lead away from virtue; to corrupt morally
09 – Demagogue
How to say it: DEM-uh-gog
What it means: a leader who appeals to popular passions and prejudices to gain support
10 – Emollient
How to say it: ih-MOL-yuhnt
What it means: making smoother or less harsh; a substance with a soothing effect on the skin
11 – Epitome
How to say it: ih-PIT-uh-mee
May be mispronounced: eh-pi-TOME
What it means: a person or thing that characterizes a whole category to which it belongs
12 – Espouse
How to say it: ih-SPOWZ
May be mispronounced: ex-POWZ
What it means: to follow or support an idea or theory as a cause
13 – Espresso
How to say it: eh-SPRES-oh
May be mispronounced: ex-PRESS-oh
What it means: a strong coffee of Italian origin, made by forcing hot water through coffee beans
14 – Fatuous
How to say it: FACH-oo-uss
May be mispronounced: FAT-choo-uss
What it means: foolish, inane; devoid of intelligence
15 – Forte
How to say it: for-TAY
May be mispronounced: fort
What it means: a strong point or a strength
16 -Grandiloquent
How to say it: gran-DILL-uh-kwuhnt
What it means: extravagant, lofty, or bombastic in style or manner, especially language
17 – Hegemony
How to say it: hih-JEH-muh-nee
May be mispronounced: hedge-ih-MOAN-ee or homo-JENNY
What it means: authority, leadership, or influence by a dominant social group
18 -Inchoate
How to say it: in-KOH-it
What it means: only partly in existence; partially formed, as in an idea
19 -Knell
How to say it: nel
What it means: the sound of a bell rung slowly to announce death or a funeral
20 -Maelstrom
How to say it: meyl-struhm
What it means: a violent whirlpool
by Olivia Valdes for ThoughtCo
