One syllable: hawks.
hawks
/hɔks/
hawks is pronounced hawks (/hɔks/). It has one syllable (hawks), with the stress on "hawks". Hawks is a plural noun or third-person singular verb form meaning to hunt or live by preying on other animals or, in finance, to aggressively solicit or promote something. As a noun, it refers to birds of prey of the genus Accipiter, typically with a sharp beak and keen vision. As a verb, it describes the act of soliciting aggressively or selling something in a predatory manner.
Hawks is a plural noun or third-person singular verb form meaning to hunt or live by preying on other animals or, in finance, to aggressively solicit or promote something. As a noun, it refers to birds of prey of the genus Accipiter, typically with a sharp beak and keen vision. As a verb, it describes the act of soliciting aggressively or selling something in a predatory manner.
"The hawks circled overhead, scanning the field for small mammals."
"News reports warned that scammers hawk counterfeit goods at the market."
"Bird-watchers noted several hawks perched near the riverbank."
Pronounce it as /hɔːks/ in most dialects. Start with the voiceless glottal h, then an open back rounded vowel like the British 'lot' vowel, followed by a voiceless k sound and an s. The primary stress falls on the word as a whole with no secondary stress. Think: hawks (the birds) and hawks (to peddle) share the same pronunciation in standard speech. Audio examples: Cambridge dictionary, Forvo.
Common errors include pronouncing the vowel as a short /ɑ/ like 'hocks' instead of /ɔː/, confusing the final /ks/ with /k/ + /z/, or dropping the s in rapid speech. To correct: elongate the /ɔː/ vowel a touch, ensure you release the /k/ fully into the /s/ with a clean /ks/ cluster, and keep the air flowing for the final sibilant. Practice with minimal pairs like hawks vs hocks to feel the difference.
In US English, /hɔks/ is common, with a rhotic vocal tract but a shorter /ɔ/ than UK. UK English tends toward /hɔːks/ with a longer /ɔː/ and less rhotic influence, and Australian English often sits between, → /hɔːks/ or /hɔkz/?; the final consonant cluster is unvoiced /ks/. Differences are subtle: vowel length and quality are primary; rhoticity affects only related words, not the /ɔː/ here.
Two main challenges: the vowel quality /ɔː/ must be distinct from /ɑ/ or /ɒ/, especially for learners whose L1 vowels differ; and producing the /ks/ cluster cleanly, avoiding an intrusive vowel or a /z/ voice. The /h/ onset must be light but audible, and the mouth should stay relaxed to keep the /ɔː/ smooth into /k/ without a break. Focus on the transition from /ɔː/ to /k/ to achieve a crisp /ks/ finish.
A unique feature is the distinction between the long /ɔː/ in many dialects and the short /ɒ/ in others; maintaining rounded lips for /ɔː/ while smoothly releasing into the /k/ and /s/ is crucial. Also, in rapid speech, speakers may vocalize the /ks/ as /kz/ or omit the /s/; you should practice the crisp, voiceless /s/ after /k/ to keep the cluster clean and natural.
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The word hawk traces back to Old English hafoc, related to similar Germanic forms such as Old High German hadcho and Old Norse haukr. Its earliest senses referred to a bird of prey. By Middle English, hawk began to denote both the raptor and, by extension, a person who hunts or chases game for others, or more figuratively someone who aggressively pursues advantage. The verb sense (to hawk)—to peddle or solicit persistently—emerged in the late medieval/early modern period as markets and commerce expanded, with hawk and hunter sharing the underlying predatory metaphor. The plural form hawks (n.) and the 3rd person singular hawks (vb.) developed naturally from English inflection. Over time, hawk acquired proverbial and political usages (“hawks” in diplomacy or policy), but its core reference to keen-eyed predation remains central. First known uses appear in older Middle English texts, with explicit references to birds of prey in hunting treatises and in poetry. The semantic shift toward metaphorical pursuit persists in contemporary usage, including sports nicknames and brand or marketing language. Overall, the word retains strong connotations of aggressiveness, vigilance, and rapid action, whether describing animals or human behavior in markets or politics.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "hawks" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "hawks" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "hawks"
-lks sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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