3 syllables: har, den, ing. Stress on har.
HAHR-duh-ning
/ˈhɑɹdənɪŋ/
hardening is pronounced HAHR-duh-ning (/ˈhɑɹdənɪŋ/). It has three syllables (har-den-ing), with the stress on "har". Hardening refers to the process of becoming harder or more rigid, whether physically (a material gaining hardness) or metaphorically (an idea, stance, or policy becoming more fixed). It often implies reduced flexibility and increased resistance to change, typically through chemical, mechanical, or behavioral processes. In linguistics, the term is used metaphorically to describe tightening or strengthening a feature over time.
Hardening refers to the process of becoming harder or more rigid, whether physically (a material gaining hardness) or metaphorically (an idea, stance, or policy becoming more fixed). It often implies reduced flexibility and increased resistance to change, typically through chemical, mechanical, or behavioral processes. In linguistics, the term is used metaphorically to describe tightening or strengthening a feature over time.
- You might soften the final -ing too much, producing /-ɪŋ/ as a mere nasal; keep it as a clear /ɪŋ/ with a light but audible final velar release. - The middle /dən/ can collapse into /dən/ quickly or even /dən/ with a reduced vowel; practice by isolating the /d/ and ensuring the /ə/ remains a brief but present schwa before /n/ - The initial /h/ should be aspirated; don’t whisper it. Practice with a slight breathy onset to avoid a swallowed /h/. - In fast speech, the sequence /ˈhɑːr.dən.ɪŋ/ may run together; use slow practice to establish clear syllable boundaries, then progressively reduce pauses. - Some speakers misplace the stress if they say /hɑrˈdenɪŋ/; ensure primary stress on the first syllable /ˈhɑːr/.
"The metal underwent rapid hardening after the heat treatment."
"Her stance on the issue showed fast hardening after new information emerged."
"The concrete mix experienced slow hardening as moisture evaporated."
Phonetically it’s /ˈhɑːr.dən.ɪŋ/ in US and UK English, with primary stress on the first syllable. The first syllable uses the open back unrounded vowel as in 'car' and the R is rhotacized; the middle syllable is a light /d/ followed by the schwa in rapid speech, and the final syllable ends with /ɪŋ/. Practice by saying: HAHR-dn-ing, ensuring the /ɑːr/ cluster is steady before the /d/.”,
Common errors include treating the /ɑːr/ as a short /ɑ/ (like ‘hard’ with a short vowel) and misplacing the /r/ in non-rhotic accents. Another mistake is pronouncing the middle /d/ and the following /ə/ too quickly, turning /dən/ into /dn/ or /dən/ with a reduced vowel length. To correct: hold the /ɑːr/ slightly longer, ensure the /r/ is fully released, and insert a crisp /ən/ before the final /ɪŋ/ by slightly lengthening the schwa before the nasal.
In US and UK rhotic varieties, /ˈhɑːr.dən.ɪŋ/ shows a clear /r/ in the first syllable; non-rhotic UK accents may vocalize it as /ˈhɑː.dən.ɪŋ/ with a weaker final /r/. Australian speakers tend to be rhotic but with a more centralized /ə/ in the second syllable; expect a slightly more condensed pause between /ˈhɑː/ and /dən/. Overall, rhoticity and vowel quality differences shape the perceived pronunciation.
The difficulty lies in the multi-phoneme cluster and the transition from a strong /ɑːr/ sequence to a light /dən/ before the velar /ɪŋ/. The /r/ after the open back vowel in rhotic accents can be tricky for non-native speakers, and the middle /dən/ can blur if you rush. Focus on a clean break: /ˈhɑːr/ then a short /dən/ before /ɪŋ/; practice the /r/ and the /d/ release distinctly.
A unique feature is the /ˈhɑːr/ onset followed by a subtle syllabic transition into /dən/. The second syllable carries a light schwa that quickly reduces before the nasal, making the sequence /dən/ tricky in fast speech. Emphasize the first syllable’s long vowel and rhoticity (in rhotic accents) to anchor the word; then glide into /ən/ without a heavy vowel.
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- US: rhotic pronunciation with clear /r/; emphasize the /ˈhɑːr/ onset and maintain a crisp /d/ release before the schwa; /ɪŋ/ is a clear nasal ending. IPA: /ˈhɑr.dən.ɪŋ/ - UK: often non-rhotic or lightly rhotic; you may hear a lighter /r/ or none; keep /ˈhɑː.dən.ɪŋ/ with a softened rhotic; /ɪŋ/ remains. IPA: /ˈhɑː.dən.ɪŋ/ - AU: rhotic and vowel qualities blend; the middle /ə/ can be more centralized; keep the first syllable strong with /ˈhɑː/; IPA: /ˈhɑː.dən.ɪŋ/ - General tips: keep the first syllable longer; the middle /dən/ should be a quick, light sequence; ensure the final /ɪŋ/ is velar nasal with full tongue closure.
Hardening comes from the verb harden, which traces to the Old English heardian, from the Proto-Germanic *hardijan, meaning to make hard or rigid. The noun form hardening is formed with the -ing suffix, denoting an action or process. The semantic drift emphasizes increasing hardness or rigidity—physically (as in metals or concrete) and abstractly (as in attitudes or policies). By Middle English, harden was common in both literal and figurative senses, and by the modern period, hardening could describe chemical, mechanical, or social tightening. The core idea ties to the concept of reducing softness or pliability, with documented uses across sciences, engineering, and social commentary. First known usages appear in technical texts dealing with metallurgy and polymers, later expanding into everyday language to describe changes in behavior, policy, or belief systems.
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Words that rhyme with "hardening"
-ing sounds
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