2 syllables: hear, ing. Stress on hear.
HEE-ring
/ˈhiɹɪŋ/
hearing is pronounced HEE-ring (/ˈhiɹɪŋ/). It has two syllables (hear-ing), with the stress on "hear". Hearing refers to the act or ability to perceive sound by detecting vibrations through the ear. It also denotes a formal session in which testimony or information is heard and evaluated. The term encompasses sensory processing, auditory attention, and the ongoing interpretation of auditory signals in real time.
Hearing refers to the act or ability to perceive sound by detecting vibrations through the ear. It also denotes a formal session in which testimony or information is heard and evaluated. The term encompasses sensory processing, auditory attention, and the ongoing interpretation of auditory signals in real time.
- Misplacing the primary stress on the second syllable, producing HEAR-ing instead of HEAR-ing. Solution: keep strong initial stress; mentally emphasize the first syllable. - Reducing the first vowel to a flat /ɪ/ without the central glide /ɪə/ or /ɪər/, making it sound like 'hit-ing'. Solution: hold a light glide from /ɪ/ toward /ə/ or /ɪə/ before the /r/. - Over-articulating the /r/ or inserting an extra vowel before /ŋ/, like hearing-ing. Solution: practice tight linking, avoid adding vowels between /r/ and /ɪŋ/; end with a crisp /ŋ/.
"The doctor tested her hearing to check for any loss."
"We arranged a hearing to review the evidence before making a decision."
"You can hear the distant thunder, but the louder sounds dominate your hearing."
Pronounce as /ˈhɪə.rɪŋ/ in US/UK standards. Start with a stressed 'HIP' like sound from 'hit' but with a clipped first vowel /ɪ/ transitioning to the mid- central /ə/ or /ɪə/ diphthong in non-rhotic accents. The second syllable is a quick /rɪŋ/ or /rɪŋ/ depending on accent. In IPA: US/UK /ˈhɪərɪŋ/, AU /ˈhɪənɪŋ/. Keep the mouth open slightly for the initial vowel, then relax into a lax, short second syllable. You’ll want smooth linking between /ˈhɪə/ and /rɪŋ/ without a heavy pause.
Common errors include misplacing stress (saying heAR-ing) and mispronouncing the second syllable as /hɪn/ or /hə-rɪŋ/ without the /ɪr/ cluster. Another frequent slip is truncating the first syllable to /hɪ/ and making the second syllable too strong. To correct: keep primary stress on the first syllable, maintain a clear /ɪə/ or /ɪə/ glide into /rɪŋ/, and avoid adding an extra vowel between /ɪə/ and /r/. Practice with minimal pairs like hear-ing vs her-ing to feel the difference.
In US English, pronounce /ˈhɪərɪŋ/ with a rhotic /r/ influencing the following vowel; the first syllable bears primary stress. In UK English, /ˈhɪərɪŋ/ retains similar vowel quality but the r is non-rhotic in many dialects; the /r/ may be silent before vowels, giving a slightly more centralized vowel. Australian English tends to have a higher, closer onset vowel and a smooth /ɪə/ transition, with less rhotic differentiation and a more centralized second syllable. Overall, the main differences are rhoticity and vowel quality in the first syllable.
The challenge lies in the /ɪə/ or /ɪər/ diphthong in the first syllable and the quick /rɪŋ/ cluster that follows. Non-native speakers often default to /hɪr/ or /hɪən/ or insert extra vowels. Mastery requires precise tongue placement: lift the tongue to create a front-high vowel /ɪ/ moving into the mid-to-high /ɪə/ glide, while keeping the jaw relaxed to avoid a muffled /ŋ/ at the end. Practice linking the /ɪə/ with /r/ and then seamlessly into /ɪŋ/.
A unique aspect is the subtle vowel glide between /ɪ/ and /ɪə/ in many speakers’ pronunciations, which can blur toward /ɪə/ or /i̞ə/ depending on accent. Additionally, the final /-ing/ produces a velar nasal /ŋ/ that merges tightly with preceding /r/ in fluent speech. Focusing on maintaining a clean /ˈhɪə/ onset and an unobstructed /ŋ/ closure, while not letting the /r/ dominate in non-rhotic accents, will improve accuracy.
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US: rhotic /r/ should be prominent; allow /ɪər/ or /ɪə/ before /ŋ/. UK: less rhotic influence; the /r/ is weaker or silent before vowels; the /ɪə/ may be more centralized. AU: similar to US but with more centralized vowel qualities and a smoother transition to /ɪŋ/. IPA references: US/UK /ˈhɪərɪŋ/, AU /ˈhɪənɪŋ/. Guidance: rehearse with closed-mouth /h/ release, then glide from /ɪ/ to /ɪə/ (or /ɪə/) while lightly curling the tongue; keep /ŋ/ soft but distinct.
Hearing derives from Old English hǣran, related to the Proto-Germanic *huzōną and Proto-Indo-European root *kwh- meaning to hear or listen. The word evolved in Middle English as hering/heering, with spelling variations reflecting shifts in pronunciation and assimilation to the -ing participle suffix. Historically, hearing encompassed both the physiological sense and the legal or formal session where testimony was “heard” in court or council. By the 16th century, hearing began to broaden beyond mere sensory perception to include judicial hearings and formal investigations, while retaining its core meaning of perceiving sound. In modern English, hearing is both a process (the faculty of perceiving sounds) and a process-oriented noun (an event where listening to testimony occurs). The dual usage reflects the word’s semantic flexibility, rooted in the ancient sense of attention to auditory input and the social practice of listening in formal settings. First known use as a noun tied to perception surfaces in Old English medical and philosophical texts, while its modern legal sense gains prominence in early modern legal language and continues to be common today.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "hearing" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "hearing" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "hearing"
-ing sounds
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