2 syllables: hack, er. Stress on hack.
HAK-ur
/ˈhækɚ/
hacker is pronounced HAK-ur (/ˈhækɚ/). It has two syllables (hack-er), with the stress on "hack". A hacker is someone who uses technical skills to gain unauthorized access to computer systems, often to exploit or modify data. The term can also refer to someone who creatively repurposes or repackages software, devices, or systems to improve functionality. In everyday language, it can denote both cybersecurity experts and cybercriminals, with connotations depending on context and intent.
A hacker is someone who uses technical skills to gain unauthorized access to computer systems, often to exploit or modify data. The term can also refer to someone who creatively repurposes or repackages software, devices, or systems to improve functionality. In everyday language, it can denote both cybersecurity experts and cybercriminals, with connotations depending on context and intent.
- You may default to pronouncing the second syllable as a full vowel like /eɪ/ or /ɜː/, which dulls the natural rhythm. Fix by practicing a quick /ə/ or /ɚ/ and reducing the second vowel. - Another common mistake is over-emphasizing /æ/ in /hæk/ and adding an extra /r/ sound; aim for a clean /hæk/ followed by a very short, soft /ə/. - Some speakers insert a stronger /r/ in non-rhotic contexts; in many UK accents, the final /ər/ can be lenited to /ə/ or omitted in rapid speech. Work on reducing the final vowel to a soft /ə/ or dimished /ə/.
"The hacker bypassed the firewall to demonstrate a security flaw."
"She’s a famous white-hat hacker who helps organizations strengthen their defenses."
"A hacker could exploit a vulnerability to steal personal data."
Pronounce as HAK-er with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US /ˈhækər/, UK /ˈhækər/ (often realized closer to /ˈhækə/ in non-rhotic speech), AU /ˈhækə/. The first vowel is a short open front unrounded /æ/, followed by a schwa or reduced vowel in the second syllable, and an unstressed final /ɚ/ in American intonation. Keep the mouth relaxed for the second syllable; avoid over-enunciating the ‘er’.
Three common mistakes: 1) Releasing the first syllable with a lax but incorrect vowel like /æ/ but then unintentional nasalization; 2) Overemphasizing the second syllable as /ˈhæk.ər/ with a strong vowel instead of a reduced /ə/; 3) In non-rhotic accents, pronouncing the second syllable as /ər/ with full rhoticity; correct by using a quick, relaxed /ə/ or /ɚ/ and dropping the trailing vowel in rapid speech.
In US English, stress on the first syllable with /æ/ and a schwa in the second: /ˈhækər/. UK speakers often maintain non-rhoticity, producing a shorter /ə/ and sometimes a stricter /ə/ in the second syllable: /ˈhækə/. Australian English keeps the /æ/ but may reduce the second vowel more quickly, often /ˈhækə/ with a clipped final syllable. Regardless, the first syllable remains clearly /hæk/ in all three.
The challenge lies in the short, lax /æ/ vowel in the first syllable and the reduced, unstressed second syllable. Many speakers insert a stronger vowel or a voiceless extension, making it /ˈhækərk/ or /ˈhæk.ər/. Achieve crisp consonants /h/ and /k/ and a relaxed /ə/ in the second syllable; avoid overshooting into /ɑ/ or a drawn-out /ɚ/. Practice tight jaw and quick, light articulation for a natural flow.
A unique feature is the almost parallel timing of the two syllables in many speakers: a strong, clear /hæk/ followed by a brief, almost clipped /ə/ or /ɚ/. This fast second syllable contrasts with the longer, stressed first syllable and is particularly noticeable in careful, neutral speech. Keep the /æ/ crisp and ensure the transition to the schwa is smooth and quick, not a separate, stressed vowel.
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The word hacker originated in American computing culture in the 1960s and 1970s at institutions like MIT's Tech Model Railroad Club and the early ARPANET community. It derived from the traditional sense of hack as a clever or rapid solution to a problem, or a rough-cut, workmanlike method of building something. In tech circles, a ‘hacker’ initially referred to someone who demonstrated clever technical skill, often solving complex problems with elegant, quick fixes rather than formal engineering. Over time, media usage shifted toward cybersecurity contexts, distinguishing between ethical ‘white-hat’ hackers who test defenses and criminal ‘black-hat’ hackers who break in for illicit gain. The term’s meaning thus expanded from playful tinkering and systems tinkering to a profession and a spectrum of intent, with first notable public references appearing in university and hacker-community publications in the late 1960s and 1970s, before broader adoption as computer crime concerns grew in the 1990s and 2000s.” ,
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "hacker" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "hacker" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "hacker"
-ker sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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