13 Words You Are Probably Mispronouncing (And How to Fix It)

English pronunciation can be sneaky. A word may look easy on the page, then turn into a tongue-twister the moment you say it out loud. Most mistakes are small, but one extra syllable—or one missing sound—can make a word unrecognizable.

Below are 13 commonly mispronounced words with clear IPA (so you have a reliable reference), plus quick tips to help the correct pronunciation stick.

Commonly Mispronounced Words

Here are 13 commonly mispronounced words in the English language.

Mayonnaise

IPA (US): /ˌmeɪ.əˈneɪz/
Tip: It’s may-uh-NAYZ (3 parts). Avoid “man-aze.”

I use grapeseed oil for mayonnaise, finding that olive oil gives too rich a flavor.

Height

IPA (US): /haɪt/
Tip: One clean sound: hite (no extra syllable).

The students were regrouped according to height and weight.

Mischievous

IPA (US): /ˈmɪs.tʃə.vəs/
Tip: 3 syllables: MIS-chuh-vus (not “mis-chee-vee-us”).

You’d speak to your little son; he’s too mischievous.

Spay

IPA (US): /speɪ/
Tip: Rhymes with say, not spade.

It’s really important to spay or neuter your pets.

Voluptuous

IPA (US): /vəˈlʌp.tʃu.əs/
Tip: Hear the -ptch- sound: vuh-LUP-choo-us (not “vo-lump-chu-ous”).

Enter the voluptuous femme fatale with dangerous links to the mob.

Nuclear

IPA (US): /ˈnuː.kli.ɚ/
Tip: NEW-klee-er (not “new-kyuh-ler”).

The general argued that the nuclear program should still continue.

Potable

IPA (US): /ˈpoʊ.t̬ə.bəl/
Tip: POH-tuh-bul = drinkable (don’t turn it into “pot”).

The potable water expansion tank shall be a Watts Model PLT.

Antarctic

IPA (US): /ænˈtɑːrk.tɪk/
Tip: Keep the arc: an-TARK-tik (don’t drop the middle).

In the Antarctic, the temperature rarely rises above the freezing point.

Foyer

IPA (US): /ˈfɔɪ.ɚ/
Also heard (US): /ˈfɔɪ.eɪ/
Tip: Both versions are used in the US; /ˈfɔɪ.ɚ/ is the most common in everyday speech.

We arranged to meet up in the foyer of the Hyatt hotel.

Gyro

Food (sandwich) IPA (US): /ˈjiː.roʊ/
Engineering (gyroscope) IPA (US): /ˈdʒaɪ.roʊ/
Tip: YEE-roh for the sandwich. JY-roh for the device.

I ordered a chicken gyro with tzatziki for lunch.
The aircraft relies on a gyro sensor to help stabilize the system.

Acai

IPA (US): /ˌæ.saɪˈiː/
Tip: Stress the last part: ah-sah-EE.

I grabbed an açaí bowl topped with fruit and granola.

Worcestershire

IPA (US): /ˈwʊs.tɚ.ʃɚ/
Tip: WUSS-ter-sher. (Short and fast—don’t pronounce every letter.)

Add a dash of Worcestershire sauce to deepen the flavor.

Triathlon

IPA (US): /traɪˈæθ.lɑːn/
Tip: TRY-ATH-lon (no extra “uh” sound).

The triathlon is the ultimate endurance test.

Quick Memory Tricks:

Extra-syllable trap: mischievous, triathlon, nuclear—don’t add sounds that aren’t there.
Stress matters: açaí ends strong (…EE), and Worcestershire stays short.
Same spelling, different word: gyro (food) and gyro (device) don’t share the same pronunciation.

Last Updated on February 27, 2026

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Nhat Nhat

English Teacher | IELTS Instructor | English Learning Content Creator at ESLTeacher.org

Nhat Nhat is an English teacher and IELTS instructor specializing in grammar, academic writing, and English learning resources. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English Education from Hanoi National University of Education (HNUE), an IELTS 8.0 certificate, and TESOL / TEFL teaching certifications. With over 9 years of teaching experience, he creates practical lessons and educational content to help learners improve their English skills and exam performance.