Commonly Mispronounced Words

A

• Açaí – (ah-sigh-EE) Meaning: A small, dark purple fruit from the açaí palm, often used in health foods.
• Abdomen – (AB-duh-muhn) Meaning: The part of the body containing the stomach and other organs.
• Aborigine – (ab-uh-RIJ-uh-nee) Meaning: A member of the indigenous people of Australia.
• Accessory – (ak-SES-uh-ree) Meaning: An additional item that adds to the functionality or style of something.
• Acquiesce – (ak-wee-ES) Meaning: To accept something reluctantly but without protest.
• Acumen – (AK-yuh-men) Meaning: The ability to make good judgments and quick decisions.
• Adage – (AD-ij) Meaning: A proverb or short statement expressing a general truth.
• Admiral – (AD-mer-uhl) Meaning: A high-ranking naval officer.
• Adolescent – (ad-uh-LESS-uhnt) Meaning: A young person in the process of developing from a child into an adult.
• Aesthetic – (es-THET-ik) Meaning: Concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty.
• Alias – (AY-lee-uhs) Meaning: An assumed name, often used to conceal one’s identity.
• Algae – (AL-jee) Meaning: Simple aquatic plants, such as seaweed.
• Allegory – (AL-uh-gor-ee) Meaning: A story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning.
• Almond – (AH-muhnd) Meaning: The edible nut of a small tree in the peach family.
• Amiable – (AY-mee-uh-buhl) Meaning: Having a friendly and pleasant manner.
• Amortize – (AM-er-tize) Meaning: To gradually pay off debt over time.
• Amphitheater – (AM-fuh-thee-uh-ter) Meaning: A circular or oval building with a central open area surrounded by tiers of seats.
• Anemone – (uh-NEM-uh-nee) Meaning: A type of sea creature or a flowering plant.
• Ancient – (AYN-shuhnt) Meaning: Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence.
• Angina – (an-JAHY-nuh) Meaning: A condition marked by chest pain due to reduced blood flow to the heart.
• Anonymous – (uh-NON-uh-muhs) Meaning: Not identified by name; of unknown identity.
• Antarctic – (ant-ARK-tik) Meaning: Relating to the region around the South Pole.
• Anthology – (an-THOL-uh-jee) Meaning: A published collection of poems, stories, or other creative works.
• Antique – (an-TEEK) Meaning: A collectible object such as a piece of furniture or artwork that has a high value due to its age.
• Anxiety – (ang-ZY-uh-tee) Meaning: A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease.
• Apathetic – (ap-uh-THET-ik) Meaning: Showing or feeling no interest, enthusiasm, or concern.
• Apparatus – (ap-uh-RAT-us) Meaning: A complex structure within an organization or system.
• Appreciate – (uh-PREE-shee-ayt) Meaning: To recognize the full worth of something.
• Apprehension – (ap-ri-HEN-shuhn) Meaning: Anxiety or fear that something bad or unpleasant will happen.
• Appropriate – (uh-PROH-pree-uht) (adjective) or (uh-PROH-pree-ayt) (verb). Meaning: Suitable for a particular purpose; to take something for one’s own use.
• Arctic – (ARK-tik) Meaning: Relating to the region around the North Pole.
• Arena – (uh-REE-nuh) Meaning: A level area surrounded by seats, used for sports or other events.
• Aristocrat – (AR-uh-stuh-krat) Meaning: A member of the noble class.
• Ascend – (uh-SEND) Meaning: To go up or climb.
• Aspiration – (as-puh-RAY-shuhn) Meaning: A hope or ambition of achieving something.
• Assume – (uh-SOOM) Meaning: To suppose something is the case without proof.
• Asthma – (AZ-muh) Meaning: A respiratory condition marked by difficulty in breathing.
• Athlete – (ATH-leet) Meaning: A person who is proficient in sports or physical activities.
• Atmosphere – (AT-muh-sfeer) Meaning: The envelope of gases surrounding the Earth or another planet.
• Attorney – (uh-TUR-nee) Meaning: A person appointed to act for another in legal matters.
• Ascetic – (uh-SET-ik) Meaning: A person who practices severe self-discipline and abstention, often for religious reasons.
• Asylum – (uh-SY-luhm) Meaning: Protection granted to political refugees or a place offering shelter.
• Astronomy – (uh-STRON-uh-mee) Meaning: The scientific study of celestial objects, space, and the universe.
• Athlete – (ATH-leet) Meaning: A person skilled in sports and physical activities.
• Atmosphere – (AT-muh-sfeer) Meaning: The gaseous envelope surrounding a planet, or the overall tone or mood of a place.
• Attache – (at-uh-SHAY) Meaning: A specialist assigned to the diplomatic staff of a country.
• Attorney – (uh-TUR-nee) Meaning: A person legally appointed to act for another in legal matters.
• Atypical – (ay-TIP-ik-uhl) Meaning: Not typical or usual; abnormal.
• Audacious – (aw-DAY-shuhs) Meaning: Showing a willingness to take bold risks; daring.
• Austere – (aw-STEER) Meaning: Severe or strict in manner, attitude, or appearance.
• Autonomy – (aw-TON-uh-mee) Meaning: The right or condition of self-government.
• Auxiliary – (awg-ZIL-yuh-ree) Meaning: Providing supplementary or additional help and support.
• Avalanche – (AV-uh-lanch) Meaning: A large mass of snow, ice, and rocks falling rapidly down a mountainside.
• Avant-garde – (ah-VAHNT-gard) Meaning: New and experimental ideas, particularly in the arts.
• Avenue – (AV-uh-nyoo) or (AV-uh-noo) Meaning: A broad road or path, often lined with trees.
• Awkward – (AWK-werd) Meaning: Causing or feeling embarrassment or inconvenience.
• Azure – (AZH-er) or (AY-zhoor) Meaning: A bright blue color, like a cloudless sky.
• Axiom – (AK-see-uhm) Meaning: A statement or proposition regarded as being established or self-evidently true.
• Ayurveda – (ah-yur-VAY-duh) Meaning: A traditional Hindu system of medicine based on natural remedies.
• Azalea – (uh-ZAYL-yuh) Meaning: A flowering shrub in the rhododendron family.
• Abase – (uh-BASE) Meaning: To humiliate or degrade oneself.
• Abbey – (AB-ee) Meaning: A building used by monks or nuns as a residence and place of worship.
• Abide – (uh-BYDE) Meaning: To tolerate or endure something.
• Abject – (AB-jekt) Meaning: Extremely bad, unpleasant, or degrading.
• Ablution – (uh-BLOO-shuhn) Meaning: The act of washing oneself, often for ritual purposes.
• Abortive – (uh-BOR-tiv) Meaning: Failing to produce the intended result.
• Abound – (uh-BOUND) Meaning: To exist in large numbers or amounts.
• Abrasion – (uh-BRAY-zhuhn) Meaning: The process of scraping or wearing something away.
• Absolve – (uhb-ZOLV) Meaning: To set someone free from guilt, blame, or responsibility.
• Abstain – (uhb-STAYN) Meaning: To restrain oneself from doing or enjoying something.
• Abstruse – (uhb-STROOS) Meaning: Difficult to understand; obscure.
• Accelerate – (ak-SEL-uh-rayt) Meaning: To increase in speed or hasten something.
• Accentuate – (ak-SEN-choo-ayt) Meaning: To make more noticeable or prominent.
• Acclamation – (ak-luh-MAY-shuhn) Meaning: Loud and enthusiastic approval or praise.
• Accolade – (AK-uh-layd) Meaning: An award or privilege granted as a special honor.
• Acquittal – (uh-KWIT-uhl) Meaning: A judgment or verdict that a person is not guilty of a crime.
• Acronym – (AK-ruh-nim) Meaning: A word formed from the initial letters of other words.
• Acropolis – (uh-KROP-uh-lis) Meaning: A fortified part of an ancient Greek city, typically built on a hill.
• Adaptable – (uh-DAP-tuh-buhl) Meaning: Able to adjust to new conditions.
• Adhesive – (ad-HEE-siv) Meaning: A substance used for sticking objects together.
• Adroit – (uh-DROYT) Meaning: Clever or skillful in using the hands or mind.
• Affluent – (AF-loo-uhnt) or (uh-FLOO-uhnt) Meaning: Having a great deal of money; wealthy.
• Aggrandize – (uh-GRAN-dahyz) Meaning: To increase the power, status, or wealth of something or someone.
• Aggregate – (AG-rih-gayt) (verb) or (AG-rih-git) (noun) Meaning: A whole formed by combining several elements.
• Agile – (AJ-uhl) or (AJ-ahyl) Meaning: Able to move quickly and easily; nimble.
• Alchemy – (AL-kuh-mee) Meaning: A medieval form of chemistry aiming to transform matter, especially to find gold.
• Alibi – (AL-uh-bahy) Meaning: Proof that someone was elsewhere when a crime was committed.
• Alienate – (AY-lee-uh-nayt) Meaning: To make someone feel isolated or estranged.
• Allegiance – (uh-LEE-juhns) Meaning: Loyalty or commitment to a group, cause, or individual.
• Allocate – (AL-uh-kayt) Meaning: To distribute resources or duties for a specific purpose.
• Allot – (uh-LOT) Meaning: To assign a portion or share of something.
• Allude – (uh-LOOD) Meaning: To suggest or call attention to indirectly; hint at.
• Allure – (uh-LOOR) Meaning: The quality of being mysteriously attractive or fascinating.
• Altruism – (AL-troo-iz-uhm) Meaning: The principle of selfless concern for the well-being of others.
• Amateur – (AM-uh-choor) or (AM-uh-tur) Meaning: A person who engages in an activity for pleasure rather than financial benefit.
• Ambiguity – (am-bih-GYOO-ih-tee) Meaning: The quality of being open to more than one interpretation.
• Ambitious – (am-BISH-uhs) Meaning: Having a strong desire for success or achievement.
• Ameliorate – (uh-MEEL-yuh-rayt) Meaning: To make something better or improve it.
• Amenable – (uh-MEE-nuh-buhl) Meaning: Open and responsive to suggestion; cooperative.
• Amnesia – (am-NEE-zhuh) Meaning: A partial or total loss of memory.
• Amnesty – (AM-nuh-stee) Meaning: An official pardon for people who have been convicted of political offenses.
• Amphibian – (am-FIB-ee-uhn) Meaning: A cold-blooded vertebrate animal that lives both in water and on land.
• Analogy – (uh-NAL-uh-jee) Meaning: A comparison between two things for the purpose of explanation or clarification.
• Analysis – (uh-NAL-uh-sis) Meaning: A detailed examination of the elements or structure of something.
• Anarchy – (AN-ar-kee) Meaning: A state of disorder due to the absence of authority or control.
• Anathema – (uh-NATH-uh-muh) Meaning: Something or someone that one vehemently dislikes.
• Ancestor – (AN-ses-tur) Meaning: A person from whom one is descended.
• Anchor – (ANG-kur) Meaning: A device used to secure a vessel to the sea bottom.
• Anecdote – (AN-ik-doht) Meaning: A short, amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person.
• Anguish – (ANG-gwish) Meaning: Severe mental or physical pain or suffering.
• Animate – (AN-uh-mayt) or (AN-uh-mit) Meaning: To bring to life or give energy to something.
• Annex – (AN-eks) or (uh-NEKS) Meaning: To append or add, especially to something larger.
• Annotate – (AN-uh-tayt) Meaning: To add notes to a text or document for explanation or clarification.
• Annual – (AN-yoo-uhl) Meaning: Occurring once every year.
• Anonymous – (uh-NON-uh-muhs) Meaning: Not identified by name.
• Antagonist – (an-TAG-uh-nist) Meaning: A person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something.
• Antarctic – (ant-ARK-tik) Meaning: Relating to the region around the South Pole.
• Anthology – (an-THOL-uh-jee) Meaning: A published collection of poems or other pieces of writing.
• Antique – (an-TEEK) Meaning: A collectible object such as furniture or art that has high value due to its age.
• Anxiety – (ang-ZY-uh-tee) Meaning: A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome.
• Apathy – (AP-uh-thee) Meaning: Lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern.
• Apocalypse – (uh-POK-uh-lips) Meaning: The complete final destruction of the world, or a revelation.
• Apostrophe – (uh-POS-truh-fee) Meaning: A punctuation mark used to indicate possession or the omission of letters.
• Appease – (uh-PEEZ) Meaning: To pacify or placate someone by acceding to their demands.
• Appetite – (AP-uh-tahyt) Meaning: A natural desire to satisfy a bodily need, especially for food.
• Apprehensive – (ap-ri-HEN-siv) Meaning: Anxious or fearful about something bad happening.
• Appropriate – (uh-PROH-pree-uht) (adjective) or (uh-PROH-pree-ayt) (verb). Meaning: Suitable or proper; to take something for one’s use.
• Aptitude – (AP-ti-tood) Meaning: A natural ability to do something.
• Aquatic – (uh-KWAT-ik) Meaning: Relating to water.
• Arbitrary – (AR-bi-trer-ee) Meaning: Based on random choice or personal whim.
• Arcade – (ar-KAYD) Meaning: A covered passage with arches along one or both sides.
• Archaic – (ar-KAY-ik) Meaning: Very old or old-fashioned.
• Architect – (AR-ki-tekt) Meaning: A person who designs buildings.
• Arena – (uh-REE-nuh) Meaning: A level area surrounded by seats, used for sports or other events.
• Aristocrat – (AR-uh-stuh-krat) Meaning: A member of the nobility.
• Ascend – (uh-SEND) Meaning: To go up or rise.
• Ascetic – (uh-SET-ik) Meaning: A person who practices severe self-discipline, often for religious reasons.
• Asylum – (uh-SY-luhm) Meaning: Protection for political refugees or a place of shelter.
• Atonement – (uh-TONE-muhnt) Meaning: Reparation for a wrong or injury.
• Atonement – (uh-TONE-muhnt) Meaning: Reparation for a wrong or injury; in a religious context, reconciliation with God.
• Atrocious – (uh-TROH-shuhs) Meaning: Extremely bad or unpleasant; horrifyingly wicked.
• Atrophy – (A-truh-fee) Meaning: The wasting away of body tissue or an organ due to lack of use or nourishment.
• Attentive – (uh-TEN-tiv) Meaning: Paying close attention to something.
• Auditory – (AW-duh-tor-ee) Meaning: Relating to the sense of hearing.
• Augment – (awg-MENT) Meaning: To make something greater by adding to it; increase.
• Aura – (AWR-uh) Meaning: The distinctive atmosphere or quality that seems to surround a person, place, or thing.
• Auspicious – (aw-SPISH-uhs) Meaning: Conducive to success; favorable.
• Authenticity – (aw-then-TIS-ih-tee) Meaning: The quality of being genuine or true.
• Autonomy – (aw-TON-uh-mee) Meaning: The right or condition of self-government.
• Avarice – (AV-uh-ris) Meaning: Extreme greed for wealth or material gain.