HANG-urz
/ˈhæŋɚz/
hangers is pronounced HANG-urz (/ˈhæŋɚz/). Hangers is the plural noun for objects used to suspend garments or other items, typically with a horizontal rod attachment and a hook. It also refers to people or things that hang or suspend something. In everyday use, it usually appears in contexts about wardrobes, laundry, or organizational gear, and can denote a collection of hangers in a closet or store.
Hangers is the plural noun for objects used to suspend garments or other items, typically with a horizontal rod attachment and a hook. It also refers to people or things that hang or suspend something. In everyday use, it usually appears in contexts about wardrobes, laundry, or organizational gear, and can denote a collection of hangers in a closet or store.
"She bought wooden hangers to keep her shirts neatly all in a row."
"The closet rack is full of plastic hangers, so we need to consolidate."
"At the dry cleaner, they labeled the bag with a set of black hangers."
Pronounce as /ˈhæŋərz/ in US and UK; stress falls on the first syllable. Start with the open front unrounded vowel /æ/ as in 'cat', then /ŋ/ as in 'sing', followed by a schwa-like /ə/ in the second syllable, and finish with the voiced /z/ /z/ sound. Audio reference: you should hear a clear first syllable dominance and a light, unstressed second syllable. Tap your tongue to the alveolar ridge for /n/ and relax jaw slightly for /ər/.
Common errors: 1) Slurring /æ/ into a reduced vowel or merging syllables so it sounds like /ˈhæŋəz/ or /ˈhæŋərs/. 2) Pronouncing the second syllable as a full syllable with a strong /ər/ rather than a reduced /ə/; keep /ər/ as a quick, unstressed /ər/ or /ə/. 3) Misplacing the /ŋ/; ensure it’s the velar nasal immediately after /æ/. Corrections: exaggerate /æ/ clearly, shorten the second syllable to a schwa and a soft /z/ end, and maintain a crisp /ŋ/ before it.
US/UK share /ˈhæŋərz/ with a rhotic American r-like quality in rapid speech; US vowels typically a clearer /æ/ and a slightly more pronounced /ɹ/ in connected speech. Australian speakers may show a more centralized or rounded vowel in /æ/ and a more clipped final /z/; the /ə/ in the second syllable can be reduced further in casual speech. Across accents, the key is keeping /æ/, /ŋ/, and the /z/ clearly articulated while allowing a schwa-like secondary syllable in fast conversation.
The difficulty lies in producing a clean /æ/ before /ŋ/ and a light, unstressed /ə/ in the second syllable, followed by a final voiced /z/. Coordinating nasal consonant placement with the alveolar fricative /z/ can be tricky, and rapid speech often reduces /ə/ to a near-schwa, blurring syllable boundaries. Achieving precise tongue placement for /æ/, /ŋ/, and /z/ in sequence helps clarity.
A unique aspect is the subtle length and quality of the /ə/ in the second syllable; in careful speech you may hear a lighter, shorter /ə/ compared to full vowels, which influences how natural the word sounds in rapid conversation. Practicing with minimal pairs like hanger vs hangar can reinforce the correct second-syllable rhythm and ensure the final /z/ doesn’t become an /s/.
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The word hanger comes from Middle English hangere, from Old French hangier, related to the verb to hang. The plural hangers emerged to denote multiple items used for hanging, closely tied to garments and storage. The sense of a device designed to support clothing developed in the context of wardrobe management in Europe in the late medieval to early modern periods, paralleling the rise of tailoring. The modern spelling with -er, -er pluralization reflects English noun formation patterns from the 16th to 19th centuries, aligning with other tool nouns like “saw”/“saws” and “rake”/“rakes.” In American English, the term became common in household vocabulary by the late 19th century with industrial production of standardized hangers in wood, metal, and plastic. The evolution of usage expanded to include hardware or organizational contexts (“wire hangers” as common in clothing care) and later, to metaphorical uses in phrases like “hangers-on” (though etymologically distinct). First known printed attestation of the term specific to a garment-holding device appears in catalogs and household manuals from the 1800s, with usage steadily expanding into retail and fashion industry contexts through the 20th century.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "hangers" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "hangers"
-ers sounds
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