mispronounce Hear it!

mispronounce Definition

mis·pro·nounce (mis′prō no̵uns′, -prə-)

transitive verb, intransitive verb -·nounced′, -·nounc′·ing

to give (a word or words) a pronunciation different from any of the accepted standard pronunciations; pronounce incorrectly

mispronounce Related Forms
mis′·pro·nun′·cia′·tion (--nun′sē ā′s̸hən) noun
mispronounce Synonyms

mispronounce

v.

falter, misspeak, murder the Queen's English, murder the King's English*; see hesitate, stammer.

mispronounce Usage Examples

Object

  • word: They may mispronounce words or speak less clearly than normal.
  • name: All stressed out Ben Thompson: The latest new trend in pop - mispronouncing the names of bands - must stop immediately.
  • sound: Injury to their brain causes them to lengthen syllables, alter their pitch or mispronounce sounds.

Modifying Another Word

  • slightly: I was surprised that she had names that were foreign to her and gave them to me slightly mispronounced in her strong Jordanian accent.
mispronounce Quotes

Life is a foreign language: all men mispronounce it.

—Morley, Christopher Darlington