2 syllables: har, den. Stress on har.
HAHR-duhn
/ˈhɑɹdən/
harden is pronounced HAHR-duhn (/ˈhɑɹdən/). It has two syllables (har-den), with the stress on "har". Harden is a transitive verb meaning to become hard or cause something to become hard or more rigid, typically through drying, cooling, or chemical change. It can also describe a steadfast, unyielding attitude. The term appears in physical, material, and figurative contexts, and often implies a process that increases strength or resilience over time.
Harden is a transitive verb meaning to become hard or cause something to become hard or more rigid, typically through drying, cooling, or chemical change. It can also describe a steadfast, unyielding attitude. The term appears in physical, material, and figurative contexts, and often implies a process that increases strength or resilience over time.
"The paint will harden as it dries in the sun."
"Exposure to cold can harden the clay before you bake it."
"Over the years, his stance on the issue hardened and he refused to compromise."
You say /ˈhɑːr.dən/ in most dialects. The primary stress is on the first syllable: HAR-den. Start with an open back unrounded vowel /ɑː/ like 'father', then a clear /r/ with tongue tip bunched or retroflex depending on the accent, followed by a light /d/ and a schwa-like /ən/ ending. For US listeners, the /ɹ/ is rhotic; UK and AU often have a less pronounced /r/ in non-rhotic contexts, with a more terminal /ən/. Quick tip: keep the /d/ brief and the /ən/ relaxed to avoid a clipped ending.
Common mistakes include: (1) misplacing the stress, saying /ˈhɑrd.ən/ with a too-strong /d/ release before the /ən/. (2) Slurring the second syllable into the first, producing /ˈhɑrdən/ or /ˈhɑːrdn/ with a reduced vowel. (3) Not producing the /r/ clearly in rhotic accents, making it sound like /ˈhɔːdən/ or /ˈhɑːdən/. Correction: emphasize the first syllable with /ɑː/ or /ɑːr/ in rhotic accents, insert a crisp /d/, and finish with a light /ən/ without over-during. Practice slow, then natural speed.
In US English, /ˈhɑːr.dən/ features a rhotic /r/ and a clear /ɹ/ with a slower diphthong on the first syllable. UK English typically yields /ˈhɑː.dən/ with a non-rhotic /r/ and a longer, more open /ɑː/; the /d/ and /ən/ remain. Australian English is similar to UK but with a broader /ɐː/ in the first vowel and a lightly tapped or flapped /d/ in rapid speech. In all, the key differences lie in rhoticity and vowel length; practice both /ˈhɑːr.dən/ and /ˈhɑː.dən/ to feel the variance.
The difficulty centers on the tense, back vowel /ɑː/ followed by a crisp /r/ in rhotic speakers, plus timing between syllables to avoid a fused /ˈhɑːrdən/ vs /ˈhɑː.dən/. Also, the /d/ needs to be released clearly but quickly before the final schwa; in fast speech it can devolve into a flap or a reduced /n/. Focus on separating /r/ from the following /d/ and ensuring the /ən/ is light. Use IPA-guided practice with slow tempo to stabilize the sequence.
A distinctive aspect is the potential variation of the /r/ and the vowel length in American non-stressed contexts, as in connected speech where the /r/ can influence the following vowels (R-coloring). You might hear a subtle linking to the next word beginning with a consonant, changing how the /ən/ is perceived. Practicing in varied contexts—alone, before a consonant, before a vowel—helps solidify the precise articulation of HAR-den with correct r-coloring or its absence depending on accent.
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Harden comes from the Old English word heardian, which meant to make hard, endure, or stiffen. The evolution traces through Middle English hardenen, illustrating the intention of making something more solid or rigid. The core concept is tied to physical transformation (drying, cooling, curing) and, by extension, to mental or moral fortitude (becoming more firm or unyielding). The root relates to hardness as a state or condition, with related Germanic cognates in other languages that convey rigidity or firmness. Over centuries, hardened surfaces—cliffs, metals, and pottery—emerged from processes of drying, heating, or chemical treatment, giving rise to figurative uses such as “harden one’s resolve.” The first known uses in English appear in medieval texts describing physical hardening processes, and later the metaphorical sense grew in early modern literature as moral or emotional resilience. Today, “harden” retains both senses and is a common verb across technical and everyday discourse, including manufacturing, agriculture, and psychology.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "harden" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "harden"
-den sounds
-me) sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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