English has many tricky words that are hard to pronounce, even for native speakers! Learning difficult English words to pronounce not only sharpens your speaking skills but also boosts confidence in conversations. Mastering tricky words enhances fluency, makes you sound more professional, and helps you communicate with clarity and precision.
Below is a list of 75+ difficult words with their correct pronunciation, meanings, and example sentences to help learners build better pronunciation and vocabulary.
Read: 200+ Difficult Words in English Vocabulary
Difficult Words to Pronounce
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acai | ah-sah-EE | A type of berry from Brazil | Acai berries are used in many healthy smoothies. |
| Albeit | awl-BEE-it | Although | He was hungry, albeit tired too. |
| Anemone | uh-NEM-uh-nee | A sea creature or a flower | The clownfish hid in the sea anemone. |
| Antithesis | an-TITH-uh-sis | The direct opposite | Her kind nature is the antithesis of his rudeness. |
| Apothecary | uh-POTH-uh-ker-ee | Old-fashioned pharmacist | The apothecary sold herbal remedies. |
| Archetype | AHR-ki-type | An original model | The hero in the story is the archetype of courage. |
| Asthma | AZ-muh | A breathing condition | He carries an inhaler due to asthma. |
| Banal | buh-NAL / BAY-nuhl | Boring or ordinary | His ideas were too banal to be accepted. |
| Bourgeois | boor-ZHWAH | Middle-class, materialistic | He criticized her bourgeois lifestyle. |
| Buffet (noun) | BUH-fay | A meal with many dishes to choose from | We had a delicious buffet dinner. |
| Cache | kash | A hidden storage | He found a cache of gold coins in the attic. |
| Chaos | KAY-oss | Complete disorder | The room was in total chaos after the party. |
| Choir | kwire | A group of singers | The school choir sang beautifully. |
| Colonel | KUR-nuhl | A military rank | The colonel commanded the troops. |
| Coup | koo | A sudden overthrow | The government fell in a coup. |
| Debris | duh-BREE | Scattered pieces | Debris from the storm blocked the road. |
| Déjà vu | day-zhah VOO | Feeling of repetition | I had a strange sense of déjà vu. |
| Dessert | dih-ZURT | Sweet dish after a meal | Ice cream is my favorite dessert. |
| Detritus | duh-TRY-tus | Waste or debris | The detritus was cleaned after the festival. |
| Drought | drout | Long period without rain | The drought lasted for six months. |
| Epitome | ih-PIT-uh-mee | A perfect example | She is the epitome of kindness. |
| Euphoria | yoo-FOR-ee-uh | Extreme happiness | He felt euphoria after winning the prize. |
| February | FEB-roo-air-ee | The second month of the year | February has only 28 days. |
| Faux pas | foh PAH | A social mistake | Wearing white to a wedding was a faux pas. |
| Fluctuate | FLUK-choo-ayt | To vary or change frequently | Prices fluctuate daily. |
| Genre | ZHAHN-ruh | A category of art, music, or literature | Horror is my favorite movie genre. |
| Gnaw | naw | To bite at something | The dog started to gnaw on a bone. |
| Guacamole | gwah-kah-MOH-lee | A Mexican avocado dip | I made fresh guacamole for the party. |
| Heinous | HAY-nus | Very evil or bad | The criminal committed a heinous act. |
| Hierarchy | HAI-uh-rahr-kee | Levels of power or status | The company follows a strict hierarchy. |
| Hyperbole | hy-PER-buh-lee | Exaggeration | Saying “I’ve told you a million times” is a hyperbole. |
| Ignominious | ig-nuh-MIN-ee-us | Shameful | His exit from the team was ignominious. |
| Indict | in-DITE | To formally accuse | He was indicted for fraud. |
| Ingenious | in-JEEN-yus | Very clever or smart | Her solution to the problem was ingenious. |
| Inuit | IN-yoo-it | Indigenous people of the Arctic | The Inuit live in cold regions. |
| Irony | EYE-ruh-nee | When the opposite of what’s expected happens | It was ironic that the fire station burned down. |
| Jettison | JET-uh-sun | To throw away or discard | They had to jettison the cargo. |
| Knell | nel | The sound of a bell (often for death) | The funeral knell echoed through the town. |
| Knead | need | To mix dough with hands | She kneads the dough before baking. |
| Knowledge | NAH-lij | Information or understanding | Reading books increases knowledge. |
| Laissez-faire | less-ay FAIR | Hands-off government policy | The country adopted a laissez-faire approach. |
| Lieutenant | lef-TEN-unt (UK) / loo-TEN-unt (US) | Military rank | The lieutenant led the mission. |
| Lingerie | lahn-zhuh-RAY | Women’s undergarments | The boutique sells fancy lingerie. |
| Mischievous | MIS-chuh-vus | Naughty or playful | The mischievous cat knocked over the vase. |
| Mnemonic | ni-MON-ik | Memory aid | “PEMDAS” is a mnemonic for math operations. |
| Niche | neesh / nitch | A specialized role or space | She found her niche in graphic design. |
| Otorhinolaryngologist | OH-toh-RY-no-LAR-ing-GOL-uh-jist | Ear, nose, and throat doctor | I visited an otorhinolaryngologist for my sore throat. |
| Paradigm | PAIR-uh-dime | A typical pattern or example | Technology shifted the business paradigm. |
| Pharaoh | FAIR-oh | Ancient Egyptian ruler | The pharaohs built pyramids. |
| Phenomenon | fi-NOM-uh-non | An unusual occurrence | The northern lights are a beautiful phenomenon. |
| Poignant | POYN-yunt | Deeply emotional | The movie had a poignant ending. |
| Prejudice | PREJ-uh-dis | Unfair judgment | We must fight against racial prejudice. |
| Pseudonym | SOO-duh-nim | A fake name | The author used a pseudonym. |
| Queue | kyu | A line of people | We stood in a long queue at the bank. |
| Quinoa | KEEN-wah | A healthy grain | Quinoa is a good source of protein. |
| Rendezvous | RON-day-voo | A meeting | We had a secret rendezvous at the park. |
| Rural | ROO-ruhl | Countryside area | She lives in a rural village. |
| Salmon | SAM-un | A type of fish | Grilled salmon is delicious. |
| Sanguine | SANG-gwin | Cheerfully optimistic | He remained sanguine despite the challenges. |
| Scenario | suh-NAIR-ee-oh | A possible situation | The worst-case scenario is unlikely. |
| Schizophrenia | skit-suh-FREE-nee-uh | Mental disorder | Schizophrenia affects how people think. |
| Silhouette | sil-oo-ET | Outline of a shape | The silhouette of the tree was visible in the sunset. |
| Subtle | SUH-tul | Not obvious | The perfume had a subtle fragrance. |
| Surreal | suh-REEL | Strange and dreamlike | The view from the mountain was surreal. |
| Sword | sord | A weapon with a long blade | The knight held a shiny sword. |
| Synecdoche | si-NEK-duh-kee | A figure of speech | “All hands on deck” is a synecdoche. |
| Thesaurus | thi-SAWR-us | A book of synonyms | I used a thesaurus to find better words. |
| Tsunami | soo-NAH-mee | Giant sea wave caused by an earthquake | The tsunami destroyed the village. |
| Turquoise | TUR-kwoiz | A greenish-blue color | She wore a turquoise necklace. |
| Uncouth | un-KOOTH | Rude or lacking manners | His uncouth behavior shocked everyone. |
| Vague | vayg | Not clear | His explanation was vague and confusing. |
| Vicinity | vi-SIN-i-tee | Nearby area | A hospital is in the vicinity. |
| Vignette | vin-YET | A brief description or scene | The movie opened with a vignette from childhood. |
| Vulnerable | VUL-ner-uh-buhl | Weak or open to harm | Babies are more vulnerable to illness. |
| Worcestershire | WUSS-ter-sheer | A county in England; also a sauce | I added Worcestershire sauce to the stew. |
| Zephyr | ZEF-er | A gentle breeze | A cool zephyr swept through the valley. |
Mastering pronunciation improves both spoken fluency and confidence. Practice these words aloud to strengthen your command over tricky English vocabulary.
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