70 Hard Words to Pronounce in English

Finding the right word can be difficult, and sometimes that’s only half the battle. English is full of beautiful, precise words that are hard to pronounce. If you want to make sure your usage and pronunciation are always on point, we’re here to help.

Here are the 70 hard-to-pronounce words with their definitions and simplified syllable-by-syllable pronunciation guides:

25 Words That Are Commonly Mispronounced

• Anemone (uh-NEM-uh-nee) - a type of flower.

• Bourgeoisie (boor-zhwah-ZEE) - the middle class, typically with reference to its perceived materialistic values or conventional attitudes.

• Colonel (KER-nul) - a military rank below general.

• Draconian (dray-KO-nee-an) - (of laws or their application) excessively harsh and severe.

• Epitome (ih-PIT-uh-mee) - a person or thing that is a perfect example of a particular quality or type.

• Faux pas (foh PAH) - an embarrassing or tactless act or remark in a social situation.

• Gubernatorial (goo-ber-nuh-TOR-ee-al) - relating to a governor.

• Hyperbole (hi-PER-bo-lee) - exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.

• Ichthyology (ik-thee-OL-uh-jee) - the branch of zoology that deals with fishes.

• Jojoba (ho-HO-ba) - a shrub that produces seeds from which an oil is extracted, used in cosmetics.

• Kaleidoscope (kuh-LIE-duh-skope) - a constantly changing pattern of shapes and colors.

• Larynx (LAR-ingks) - the hollow muscular organ forming an air passage to the lungs and holding the vocal cords.

• Mnemonic (nee-MON-ik) - a device such as a pattern of letters, ideas, or associations that assists in remembering something.

• Ophthalmologist (off-thal-MOL-uh-jist) - a specialist in the branch of medicine concerned with the study and treatment of disorders and diseases of the eye.

• Phlegm (flem) - thick mucus secreted by the tissues lining the respiratory passages.

• Quinoa (KEEN-wah) - a grain crop grown primarily for its edible seeds.

• Rhetoric (RET-uh-rik) - the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing.

• Synecdoche (si-NEK-duh-kee) - a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa.

• Tinnitus (tin-EYE-tus) - ringing or buzzing in the ears.

• Ubiquitous (yoo-BIK-wi-tus) - present, appearing, or found everywhere.

• Vicissitude (vi-SIS-i-tood) - a change of circumstances or fortune, typically one that is unwelcome or unpleasant.

• Worcestershire (WOOS-ter-sher) - a type of sauce.

• Xenophobia (zen-uh-FOH-bee-uh) - dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries.

• Yttrium (IT-ree-um) - the chemical element of atomic number 39, a soft, silvery, highly reactive metal.

• Zephyr (ZEF-fur) - a soft gentle breeze.

25 Science Words That Are Hard to Pronounce

• Amygdala (uh-MIG-duh-luh) - a section of the brain that is responsible for detecting fear and preparing for emergency events.

• Bioluminescence (bye-oh-loo-mi-NES-ens) - the production and emission of light by a living organism.

• Cytokinesis (sigh-toh-kih-NEE-sis) - the division of the cytoplasm of a cell at the end of mitosis or meiosis, bringing about the separation into two daughter cells.

• Dichotomy (dye-KOT-uh-mee) - a division into two especially mutually exclusive or contradictory groups or entities.

• Ectoplasm (EK-toh-plaz-um) - the more viscous, clear outer layer of the cytoplasm in amoeboid cells.

• Fibonacci (fih-boh-NAH-chee) - relating to a sequence of numbers in which each number is the sum of the two preceding ones.

• Glycolysis (gly-KOL-ih-sis) - the breakdown of glucose by enzymes, releasing energy and pyruvic acid.

• Hematology (hee-muh-TOL-uh-jee) - the study of blood and blood disorders.

• Isotope (EYE-soh-tope) - each of two or more forms of the same element that contain equal numbers of protons but different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei.

• Jurassic (joo-RAS-ik) - relating to the second period of the Mesozoic era, between the Triassic and Cretaceous periods.

• Karyotype (KAR-ee-oh-type) - the number and visual appearance of the chromosomes in the cell nuclei of an organism or species.

• Lithosphere (LITH-oh-sfeer) - the rigid outer part of the earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle.

• Myocardium (my-oh-KAR-dee-um) - the muscular tissue of the heart.

• Neuroplasticity (noo-roh-plas-TIS-i-tee) - the ability of neural networks in the brain to change through growth and reorganization.

• Oncogene (ON-ko-jeen) - a gene that in certain circumstances can transform a cell into a tumor cell.

• Phenotype (FEE-noh-type) - the set of observable characteristics of an individual resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment.

• Quantum (KWAN-tum) - the minimum amount of any physical entity involved in an interaction.

• Ribosome (RY-boh-zome) - a minute particle consisting of RNA and associated proteins, found in large numbers in the cytoplasm of living cells.

• Synapse (SIN-aps) - a junction between two nerve cells, consisting of a minute gap across which impulses pass by diffusion of a neurotransmitter.

• Thermodynamics (ther-mo-dye-NAM-iks) - the branch of physical science that deals with the relations between heat and other forms of energy.

• Umbra (UM-bra) - the fully shaded inner region of a shadow cast by an opaque object.

• Virology (vye-ROL-uh-jee) - the study of viruses and viral diseases.

• Wavelength (WAYV-length) - the distance between successive crests of a wave, especially points in a sound wave or electromagnetic wave.

• Xenotransplantation (zen-oh-trans-plan-TAY-shun) - the transplantation of living cells, tissues, or organs from one species to another.

• Zygote (ZY-goht) - a diploid cell resulting from the fusion of two haploid gametes; a fertilized ovum.

20 Art Words That Are Hard to Pronounce

• Chiaroscuro (kee-ahr-oh-SKOO-roh) - an art technique that uses strong contrasts between light and dark to model three-dimensional forms.

• Impasto (im-PAS-toh) - a technique used in painting, where paint is laid on an area of the surface in very thick layers.

• Trompe l'oeil (tromp LOY) - a painting or design intended to create the illusion of a three-dimensional object.

• Grisaille (grih-ZEYE) - a method of painting in gray monochrome, typically to imitate sculpture.

• Sfumato (sfu-MAH-toh) - a painting technique for softening the transition between colors, mimicking an area beyond what the human eye is focusing on.

• Bouclé (boo-CLAY) - a fabric of looped yarn that creates a textured effect.

• Fauvism (FOH-vizm) - a style of painting with vivid expressionistic and nonnaturalistic use of color.

• Plein air (plen AIR) - the act of painting outdoors.

• Decalcomania (de-kal-ko-MAY-nee-ah) - a technique of transferring designs from specially prepared paper to a wood or glass surface.

• Bas-relief (bah ree-LEEF) - a low-relief sculpture.

• Giclée (zhee-KLAY) - a technology for fine art or photograph reproduction using a high-quality inkjet printer.

• Intaglio (in-TAL-yoh) - a printing process that uses an etched or engraved plate.

• Diptych (DIP-tik) - a work of art that is composed of two panels.

• Encaustic (en-KAWS-tik) - a painting technique using pigments mixed with hot wax.

• Giornata (jor-NAH-tah) - the amount of painting that an artist expects to complete in a single day.

• Oeuvre (OO-vra) - the complete works of an artist, viewed collectively.

• Pietà (pee-AY-tah) - a subject in Christian art depicting the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus.

• Quattrocento (kwah-troh-CHEN-toh) - the 15th-century period of Italian art and literature.

• Verre églomisé (ver ay-glo-mee-ZAY) - a technique of applying both a design and gilding onto the rear face of glass.

• Rococo (roh-KOH-koh) - a style of art, especially architecture and decorative art, that originated in France in the early 18th century characterized by elaborate ornamentation.

It’s easy to get tongue-tied on tricky words like these, but once you can confidently drop them in conversation, you’ll be an even better communicator. Good luck, and happy pronouncing!