One syllable: Cursed.
kurst
/kɝst/
Cursed is pronounced kurst (/kɝst/). It has one syllable (Cursed), with the stress on "Cursed". Cursed is an adjective meaning afflicted by a spell or harmful supernatural influence, or believed to bring bad luck. It conveys a sense of condemnation or misfortune that is beyond ordinary cause, often used to describe objects, actions, or people affected by malevolent magic. The term can also express strong moral judgment or foreboding in literary contexts.
adjectiveCursed is an adjective meaning afflicted by a spell or harmful supernatural influence, or believed to bring bad luck. It conveys a sense of condemnation or misfortune that is beyond ordinary cause, often used to describe objects, actions, or people affected by malevolent magic. The term can also express strong moral judgment or foreboding in literary contexts.
- You might flatten the /ɜː/ to a plain /ɜ/ or /ə/, producing something like /ˈkɜrst/ or /ˈkəst/; aim for a longer, tense vowel in stressed syllable. - You may drop the final /t/ or turn it into a soft stop; ensure a crisp /t/ release after /s/. - Overemphasize the /r/ in non-rhotic accents or fuse the /ɜːr/ too early; keep the /ɜː/ with limited rhotic coloring in UK/AU contexts. - Rapid speech can merge into a single syllable; slow down slightly at the vowel-to-consonant transition to retain clarity.
"The villagers whispered about the cursed idol that brought misfortune to anyone who touched it."
"He swore he had broken the curse, yet every attempt seemed to fail."
"The old manuscript warned that the cursed relic would awaken at midnight."
Pronounce it as /ˈkɜːrst/ in US and UK, with the first syllable stressed. The /ɜː/ is a mid-central to close-mid vowel, similar to ‘fur’ without the following r coloration in non-rhotic accents; in rhotic US, you may hear a slight rhotic coloring in the ending /r/. The final /st/ cluster should be crisp, with the /s/ preceding the /t/. In Australian speech, you’ll hear a shorter /ɜ/ quality and a slightly lighter /t/. Audio resources align with these transcriptions for practical listening.
Common errors include reducing the /ɜː/ to a schwa /ə/ in both US/UK, producing /ˈkɜrzd/ or /ˈkɜːs/ without the final /t/ touch, and clipping the /st/ into /s/ or /st/ too abruptly. Another frequent slip is pronouncing the final /t/ as a dull stop without crisp /t/ release. To correct: maintain the mid vowels /ɜː/ (US/UK) and clearly release the /t/ after the /s/ by lightly touching the tongue behind the upper teeth, ensuring a clean /st/ blend.
US English typically features rhoticity in connected speech, with a strong /ɜːr/ in the first syllable and a pronounced /st/ at the end. UK English often lacks rhoticity in some regions, resulting in a shorter /ɜː/ and a crisper /t/; AU tends to align more with non-rhotic patterns but with less vowel reduction than the UK, and a slightly broader /ɜː/ vowel. Listen for vowel length and consonant clarity: US shows slight rhotic coloring, UK/AU reduce post-vocalic r, and AU maintains a more centralized /ɜː/ in many dialects.
Difficulties stem from the /ɜː/ vowel, which is not common in all learner languages and may sound like a schwa to beginners. The /ɜːr/ sequence in some US accents adds an r-coloring that non-native speakers miss, and the final /st/ cluster requires precise tongue-tip positioning to avoid a /t/ or /d/ mispronunciation. Additionally, rapid speech can merge the /ɜː/ and /r/ into a single vowel, dulling the crisp /st/ ending. Practicing distinct ал positions helps.
A unique aspect is the potential for subtle vowel length variation before tense consonants like /st/. Some speakers may shorten the /ɜː/ before a voiceless cluster, causing a more clipped vowel; others keep a fuller /ɜː/ length. Focus on maintaining a steady duration across the first syllable while ensuring the /s/ and /t/ are coordinated for a clean cluster release. IPA reminder: /ˈkɜːrst/ (US/UK) with subtle regional timing differences.
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- US: emphasize rhotic /ɜːr/ with a clear, slightly longer /ɜː/ before the /r/; keep /st/ crisp. - UK: lean toward a shorter /ɜː/ and crisper /t/; minimize any post-vocalic r coloring. - AU: similar to UK but with a bit more openness in the /ɜː/; ensure the /t/ final is released distinctly. - General tip: practice with minimal pairs /kɜːrst/ vs /kəst/ to heighten vowel accuracy. IPA cues: /ˈkɜːrst/ (US/UK), /ˈkəːst/ (AU).
Cursed derives from the verb curse, from Middle English cursen, cresen, or cursen meaning to damn or execrate. The root traces to the Old English cursian and Proto-Germanic *kur sulan, reflecting a taboo act of invoking harm or misfortune. The sense evolved from “to condemn or damn” to “to bring about a supernatural misfortune by words or spell.” By the Early Modern period, cursed appeared in religious and literary contexts to describe objects, places, or persons affected by a spell or malediction. Over time, it broadened in secular prose to convey extreme ill fortune or moral condemnation, retaining its supernatural flavor while also functioning as a conventional intensifier in colloquial speech (e.g., “cursed luck”). The term’s semantic domain thus spans the magical (spell-based) and the figurative (unlucky or ill-fated), with usage peaking in Gothic and horror genres as well as everyday hyperbole.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Cursed" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Cursed" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Cursed"
-sed sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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