12 Most Hardest English Words to Pronounce

In English, word pronunciation is not always convenient. Unlike in some languages, there isn’t always a direct correlation between how words get spelled and spoken.

The English language is a terrific jumble of loanwords or words adopted from other languages, each with its own pronunciation standards.

Anyone trying to learn English can find it challenging as it has around 20 vowel sounds, 25 consonant sounds, and various inconsistencies in spelling and pronunciation.

Twelve Hard Words to Pronounce in English

Here are some hard English words to say that you may encounter in your everyday routine:

1. Anemone

This word is quite difficult to pronounce because of the prevalence of M & N sounds and the [uh-nee] ending that appears to be uttered like the numeral ‘one’, making the word anemone tricky to say.

However, there is a rhythm to this term that can enable you to pronounce it correctly: “uh–nem–uh-nee”.

2. Mischievous

It’s one of those tough pronunciation words in English that many people struggle with.

You’ve probably heard folks say “mis-cheev-ee-us” when it’s actually a three-syllable word pronounced MIS-chiv-us.”

The issue is that the original spelling of the term included an extra I at the end, which was common until the 1700s.

3. Colonel

Native English speakers pronounce this Middle French-derived 16th-century word “ker-nul”.

Those studying English as a second language, on the other hand, are perplexed by the first ‘o’ which sounds like an ‘e,’ the ‘l’ like an ‘r,’ and the other ‘o’ being absolutely quiet.

4. Epitome

It is customary to speak all vowels in Greek that were adopted into English. This is how we derive the word epitome from the Greek ‘epitom’.

The ending -e in epitome is not silent, as it is in many other words in English; it is pronounced [ih-pit–uh-mee].

5. Remuneration

People frequently make the mistake of swapping the easily-confused M and N sounds when spelling this word, most likely since the word number is so prevalent in the English language. [ri-myoo-nuh–rey-shuhn] is how you pronounce remuneration.

Although it refers to payment, the word is derived from the Latin mnus, which means “gift.”

6. Draught

Expatriate English speakers may be bewildered by the pronunciation of this British phrase due to two inconsistencies: the sequencing of the a-u vowel and the composition of the g-h-t consonant.

While it looks to be pronounced “drot,” it is actually pronounced “draught” (as in “laugh”).

7. Quinoa

While quinoa’s popularity has soared in recent years due to its “superfood” characteristics, many folks still have trouble pronouncing it due to its various vowel blends.

It’s pronounced “KEEN-wah,” “ken-WAH,” and “KEN-o-ah” according to Standard English guidelines. But it’s actually a Spanish term with several valid pronunciations, including “KEEN-wah,” “ken-WAH,” and “KEN-o-ah.”

8. Onomatopoeia

The word onomatopoeia is a jumble of vowels and is probably the most difficult English word to pronounce.

It is pronounced [on-uh-mat-uh–pee–uh], and it defines a word that imitates a sound.

The –poeia suffix is pronounced [pee–uh]. The letter O is silent.

9. Scissors

It is a somewhat generic term, and most native speakers have no issue pronouncing it.

However, if you’re learning English, this term contains double consonants that can easily confuse you, leading you to believe it’s pronounced “SKIss-ors” (when it’s pronounced differently as “sizzors”).

Even though it is a single object, it ends in an “s,” which signifies a plural and is referred to as a “pair.”

10. Isthmus

‘Isthmus’ consider as a most difficult word to pronounce in English. When read aloud, the word isthmus poses a pronunciation issue since most English speakers prefer to sound the ‘TH’ in the word.

The TH is silent in this situation, resulting in the accurate pronunciation- of “is-muhs.”

11. Coup

Another word from French that has been taken into English yet has a difficult pronunciation is ‘coup’.

The letters ‘-oup’ at the end of a word get pronounced [oo] in French.

Not only did we translate this French word into English, but we also adapted the French pronunciation. That is to say, ‘coup’ is pronounced [koo].

12. Ignominious

If you can say it correctly, you can call somebody ignominious if you think they are disgraceful.

In spite of the relatively shorter length, the 5 syllables crammed with several “i’s” and “o’s” are more than enough to make anyone’s tongue quiver.