2 syllables: Ac, cursed. Stress on cursed.
ak-URST
/ˌæˈkɝst/
Accursed is pronounced ak-URST (/ˌæˈkɝst/). It has two syllables (Ac-cursed), with the stress on "cursed". Accursed is an adjective meaning doomed to misfortune or under a curse; often used to describe a person, place, or thing believed to be cursed. It conveys a strong sense of condemnation or supernatural ill luck, typically in literary or dramatic contexts. The term can carry archaic or formal tone depending on usage.
adjectiveAccursed is an adjective meaning doomed to misfortune or under a curse; often used to describe a person, place, or thing believed to be cursed. It conveys a strong sense of condemnation or supernatural ill luck, typically in literary or dramatic contexts. The term can carry archaic or formal tone depending on usage.
How to Pronounce Accursed
"The ancient village stood in accursed silence after the plague, as if a curse lingered over the hills."
"She muttered that the accursed coin would bring her no luck, yet she kept it as a reminder of the bargain."
"In the play, the protagonist swore an accursed oath, sealing his fate."
Pronounce as /ˈæk.ə(r)st/ in US/UK; in careful speech the final -ed does not appear, so it’s not /-ste d/. Stress is on the first syllable: AC-cursed. In US, the r is pronounced in rhotic circles; in UK non-rhotic accents, the r is less pronounced unless followed by a vowel. Mouth positions: start with a lax /æ/ as in ‘cat’, then a schwa-like /ə/ for the second syllable, and end with a light /st/ cluster. Listen for the subtle linking into following consonants in connected speech.
Common errors: 1) Overpronouncing the final -ed as /-ɪd/ or /-ɪd/, making AC-cur-sed sound like ‘accursed’ with an extra syllable; 2) Reducing the first syllable to a pure /æ/ without a slight schwa in the second syllable; 3) Omitting or mis-sounding the /r/ in rhotic accents. Correction: keep /ˈæk.əst/ for non-rhotic; for rhotic speakers, ensure /ˈæk.ərst/ with a light /ɹ/ before the /st/. Practice by saying AC-ə-REST at a comfortable tempo, then slow down.
US: /ˈæk.ɚst/ with a pronounced rhotic /ɚ/; UK: /ˈæk.əst/ with a non-rhotic /ɜː/ or schwa-like /ə/, less r-coloring; AU: typically /ˈæk.sɜːst/ with a rounded vowel and final /st/, often nearer /ˈæk.sɜːst/. Core is first-syllable stress; the coda /st/ remains. Differences revolve around rhoticity and vowel quality in the second syllable: US tends to a rhotic vowel; UK reduces to a mid-central vowel; AU often a mid back or centralized vowel depending on speaker. IPA references help anchor each variant.
Key challenges: the /ˈæk.əst/ structure requires precise vowel reduction and a crisp /st/ cluster. The second syllable often carries weaker vowel reduction, leading to misplacement of stress or blending into /kæ-/. Additionally, the /ɚ/ in US rhotics can blur with a following /t/ if not separated. Focus on maintaining a clean /ə/ between /k/ and /st/, and practice a short, light /ɹ/ or clear absence depending on dialect.
The unusual element is the silent-feel of the second syllable in many registers: the accent often broadens or lightens the /ə/ so the word sounds like AC-erst in careful speech, with a very brief intermediary vowel. The challenge is balancing the first stressed syllable with a crisp onset for the /st/ cluster, ensuring the middle vowel doesn’t become overly long or swallowed. Practicing with slow π-like cadence helps you lock the rhythm.
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Accursed derives from the Old French acorcier or acors, with the sense of uttering a curse. The element -s- is a past participle suffix in English, yielding accursed as ‘having been cursed’. In Middle English, cursing and curse- words framed meanings of damnation and ill fortune; the term appears in religious and literary contexts to describe persons or things under a supernatural penalty. The modern sense consolidates around being cursed or ill-omened. The root word curse traces to Latin damnare and Greek katára, but English adoption settled on accursed as a compound adjective, often used historically in solemn, dramatic, or moralizing prose. First known uses appear in early modern English literary works, where characters spoke of beings or objects as accursed to emphasize tragedy, doom, or moral consequence. Over time, accursed retained its formal or archaic tone, surfacing in Gothic novels and Shakespearean-style dialogue, while still appearing in contemporary stylistic phrases to evoke a sense of fateful condemnation.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Accursed" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Accursed"
-sed sounds
-rst sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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