Tough words for pronunciation

We all know the embarrassing feeling of discovering we've been mispronouncing 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 people choose to adhere to rigid rules of grammar and pronunciation (known as linguistic prescription) and take pleasure in the precision of English grammar and vocabulary. Others prefer the descriptive linguistics approach, which doesn't apply judgments such as "correct" or "incorrect" but instead looks at how language is actually used. In other words, as long as people can understand you, you 

Alias

How to say it: AY-lee-iss

What it means: an assumed name taken on temporarily, sometimes by a criminal or fugitive

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Anathema

How to say it: uh-NATH-uh-muh

What it means: someone or something that one strongly dislikes or loathes

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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

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Apocryphal

How to say it: uh-POK-ruh-fuhl

What it means: of questionable authenticity, as in a story or statement

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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 

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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

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Debauch

How to say it: dih-BAWCH

What it means: to lead away from virtue; to corrupt morally 

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Demagogue

How to say it: DEM-uh-gog

What it means: a leader who appeals to popular passions and prejudices to gain support

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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

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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

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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 

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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 finely-ground coffee beans  

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Fatuous

How to say it: FACH-oo-uss

May be mispronounced: FAT-choo-uss

What it means: foolish, inane; devoid of intelligence 

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Forte

How to say it: for-TAY

May be mispronounced: fort

What it means: a strong point or a strength

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Grandiloquent

How to say it: gran-DILL-uh-kwuhnt

What it means: extravagant, lofty, or bombastic in style or manner, especially language 

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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

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Inchoate

How to say it: in-KOH-it

What it means: only partly in existence; partially formed, as in an idea

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Knell

How to say it: nel

May be mispronounced: knel (with the k)

What it means: the sound of a bell rung slowly to announce death or a funeral

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Maelstrom

How to say it: meyl-struhm

What it means: a violent whirlpool 

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Mauve

How to say it: mohv

May be mispronounced: mawv

What it means: a pale purple color 

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Mischievous

How to say it: MISS-chuh-vuhs

May be mispronounced: mis-CHEE-vee-uhs (note the extra syllable)

What it means: naughtily annoying or troublemaking 

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Nadir

How to say it: NAY-deer

What it means: the lowest point

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Neophyte

How to say it: NEE-uh-fahyt

What it means: a beginner, a new participant 

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Noisome

How to say it: NOI-sum

What it means: disgusting, as in odor; capable of causing nausea 

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Panacea

How to say it: pan-uh-SEE-uh

What it means: a cure-all; a remedy for all illness or solution for all problems 

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Phlegmatic

How to say it: fleg-MAT-ik

What it means: slow to react, not showing emotion; calm and composed

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Protean

How to say it: PROH-tee-uhn

May be mispronounced: pro-teen

What it means: assuming various forms; changeable in shape, as an amoeba

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Puerile

How to say it: PYOO-er-il

What it means: relating to a child or childhood; immature, foolish

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Pulchritude

How to say it: PUHL-kri-tood

What it means: physical beauty, comeliness 

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Quinoa

How to say it: KEEN-wah

May be mispronounced: KEEN-oh-ah

What it means: a small edible crop seed 

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Quixotic

How to say it: kwik-SOT-ik

What it means: insensibly extravagant or romantic

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Sanguine

How to say it: SANG-gwin

May be mispronounced: sang-WHINE

What it means: cheerful, hopeful, confident, especially in a bad situation

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Sherbet

How to say it: SHUR-bit

May be mispronounced: SHUR-burt

What it means: a frozen fruit-flavored dessert made without milk

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Staid

How to say it: steyd

What it means: settled; sedate in character

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Surfeit

How to say it: SUR-fit

What it means: an excessive amount

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Timbre

How to say it: TAM-ber

May be mispronounced: TIM-ber (as in, that tree's about to fall down)

What it means: the sound or tonal quality of a particular voice or musical instrument

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Truculent

How to say it: TRUHK-yuh-luhnt

What it means: defiant, quick to argue or fight

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Vicissitude

How to say it: vih-SIS-ih-tood

What it means: a change in circumstance, usually undesired 

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Zephyr

How to say it: ZEF-er

May be mispronounced: ZEF-fire

What it means: a soft, mild breeze