2 syllables: hard, ness. Stress on hard.
HAHRD-nuhs
/ˈhɑɹdnəs/
hardness is pronounced HAHRD-nuhs (/ˈhɑɹdnəs/). It has two syllables (hard-ness), with the stress on "hard". Hardness refers to the quality of being hard or solid, often describing material resistance to denting or deformation. It can also describe the strength of character or difficulty of a problem. In science, hardness measures material properties, typically on standardized scales, while in everyday use it conveys a sense of toughness or firmness.
Hardness refers to the quality of being hard or solid, often describing material resistance to denting or deformation. It can also describe the strength of character or difficulty of a problem. In science, hardness measures material properties, typically on standardized scales, while in everyday use it conveys a sense of toughness or firmness.
"The hardness of diamond is legendary and exceeds most other materials."
"She tested the hardness of the clay before shaping it further."
"The patient showed mental hardness in enduring the long treatment."
You say HAR-dness with primary stress on HAR. IPA US/UK/AU: /ˈhɑrdnəs/. Start with an open back unrounded /h/ followed by /ɑː/ (long a), then /r/ with rhoticity, then /d/ and a schwa or a reduced /nə/ before the final /s/. Keep the /dn/ sequence smooth, and finish with a light /s/. Audio reference: listen to native speech in dictionaries or Forvo for the /ɑː/ vs /ɑ/ distinction.
Common errors include reducing the /ɑː/ to a short /æ/ in non-rhotic dialects, misplacing the /r/ in American rhotic sequences, and adding an extra vowel between /d/ and /n/ (like /ˈhɑrd-nəs/). Correct by ensuring the /r/ is tightly connected to /ɑː/ and keeping the /d/ directly before the /n/. Practice the crisp /dn/ cluster and finish with a quick /əs/.
US tends to be rhotic with /ˈhɑrdnəs/, where /r/ is pronounced before the /d/. UK often has non-rhotic tendencies in certain dialects, potentially reducing linking /r/ turning into /ˈhɑdnəs/ or a slight schwa after /d/. AU generally rhotic, with clear /ɹ/ and a broader /aː/ or /ɑː/ vowel in /hɑːdnəs/. The final /s/ remains voiceless. Vowel quality and rhoticity are the main differentiators.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster /rdn/ and the short, unstressed /ə/ that follows. Many English speakers insert an extra vowel between /d/ and /n/ or mispronounce the /ɑː/ as /æ/. Focus on a tight /rdn/ blend and a clean, quick /əs/ ending without adding a vowel between /d/ and /n/. IPA cues help: /ˈhɑrdnəs/.
The standout is the /rdn/ consonant cluster immediately after the initial vowel. It’s not a simple /r/ + /d/ + /n/ fusion; it requires maintaining the /r/ with the following /d/ without a strong vowel break, then transitioning quickly to the /n/ before the /ə/ or /əs/. Practicing the sequence /ɑːrdn/ in a rapid, continuous speech block helps cement the flow.
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Hardness comes from the Old English word heardsian, related to hard, signaling physical solidity or firmness. The root word is Germanic, with cognates in Dutch hard and German hart. Historically, hardness broadened from physical resistance to include abstract qualities such as stubbornness and moral fortitude. In the late medieval period, hardness began to be used in alchemical and material science contexts to denote the resistance of a substance to scratching or indentation, derived through Latin durus ‘hard’ and French dur. By the 17th–19th centuries, scientific scales measuring hardness (e.g., Mohs scale) popularized the term in material science, while metaphorical uses persisted in describing character or difficulty of tasks. First known usages appeared in Old English medical and craft texts, with explicit references to the hardness of stones and metals appearing in later glossaries and scientific treatises. The word evolved from a concrete property to a broader evaluative quality in both physical and abstract domains across English-speaking cultures.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "hardness" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "hardness"
-ess sounds
-me) sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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