2 syllables: here, with. Stress on with.
hir-WITH
/hɪrˈwɪθ/
herewith is pronounced hir-WITH (/hɪrˈwɪθ/). It has two syllables (here-with), with the stress on "with". Herewith means with this (document, item, or communication) accompanying or included with something. It is typically used in formal or legal contexts to indicate that the following material is being supplied together with another item. The term conveys a sense of immediacy and formality, often appearing in letters or official correspondence.
Herewith means with this (document, item, or communication) accompanying or included with something. It is typically used in formal or legal contexts to indicate that the following material is being supplied together with another item. The term conveys a sense of immediacy and formality, often appearing in letters or official correspondence.
- You might flatten the word to HEER-with or HEAR-with; keep a distinct second syllable and pronounce the final dental fricative clearly. - The final /θ/ is easy to mispronounce; ensure your tongue lightly touches the upper teeth and you produce unvoiced air. - Vowel quality in the first syllable; avoid reducing /ɪ/ to a schwa; keep a short, crisp /ɪ/ as in 'kit' for clarity.
"Please find herewith the signed contract for your records."
"Herewith I submit the annual report for your review."
"Kindly find herewith the requested documents attached to this email."
Herewith is pronounced /hɪrˈwɪθ/ in US English, with a two-syllable rhythm: HEER-with, secondary stress on the second syllable. Your lips start neutral, then the /h/ breathy onset, the /ɪ/ as in “kit,” the /r/ with a relaxed tongue, and the /w/ onset before a clear /ɪ/ and final /θ/. The final /θ/ is a voiceless dental fricative; be sure the tongue touches the upper teeth rather than the bottom lip. You can picture it as “heer-WITH,” with a brief secondary beat on the first syllable.
Two common errors: (1) Slurring to “here-wif” by replacing the final /θ/ with /f/ or a voiced /ð/ because /θ/ is tricky. Correct by placing the tongue softly against the upper teeth and forcing a light air stream. (2) Misplacing stress as HEAR-with or he-REWITH; keep secondary stress on the second syllable: /hɪrˈwɪθ/. Focus on a crisp, voiceless /θ/ and avoid vowel reduction in the first syllable.
Across accents, the core segments remain, but rhotics and vowel qualities shift. US: /hɪrˈwɪθ/ with rhotic /r/ in the first syllable and a clear /ɪ/; UK/AU often maintain non-rhotic tendencies in careful speech, so more like /hɪəˈwɪθ/ or /ˈhɪəwwwɪθ/ with a centralizing vowel in the first syllable. The final /θ/ remains a voiceless dental fricative across all, but some speakers produce a slightly weaker /r/ or a more centralized first vowel. Emphasis remains on the second syllable.
The difficulty centers on the final /θ/ sound and the two-syllable rhythm in a formal word. The /θ/ requires the tongue tip to touch the upper teeth with unvoiced air; many learners substitute /f/ or /t/ to avoid it, which changes meaning and formality. Additionally, the combination of here- with- creates a rapid, connected transition that can blur the boundary between syllables, especially in fast speech. Practicing the dental fricative and keeping the secondary stress on the second syllable helps stabilize the pronunciation.
A unique nuance is the two-syllable rhythm with a clear secondary stress on the second syllable; you’ll often hear the word pronounced as /hɪˈwɪθ/ in very rapid, formal speech by some speakers, but careful enunciation requires /hɪrˈwɪθ/ or /hɪəˈwɪθ/ depending on accent. Maintain a precise tongue position for /θ/—tip behind the upper teeth with a small air stream—and avoid vowel reduction in the first syllable to preserve the word’s formal tone.
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- US: /hɪrˈwɪθ/ with an audible /r/; avoid vowel reduction and keep /ɪ/ clear. - UK: /hɪəˈwɪθ/ or /ˈhɪəwɪθ/ with a more centralized or diphthongal first vowel and a less rhotic feel in careful speech; maintain dental fricative /θ/. - AU: similar to UK, often less rhotic; lean into a slightly longer second syllable with /wɪθ/; keep first syllable distinct and crisp.
Herewith is a compound adverbial phrase formed from here + with. Its usage traces to early modern English legal and formal correspondence, where writers combined location adverbs with prepositional phrases to capture immediacy and inclusion. The original subjective nuance is “with this [document] present,” implying that the thing being referred to is included with the message. The construction likely developed from older forms like herewith and herewithal, where -al served as a nominal or adverbial suffix in legal diction. The frequency of usage peaks in 17th–19th century formal letters, decrees, and contracts, gradually declining in daily speech as legal and bureaucratic language modernized. Today, herewith remains a high-formality term used primarily in written communications, especially where compliance or attached materials are being referenced. First known uses appear in archival letters and contracts from the 1600s onward, aligning with other legalistic “herewith” expressions that emphasize accompanying documents or items. Its remain prevalence is stylistic rather than lexical necessity, signaling formality and precision. In contemporary contexts, you’ll encounter herewith in phrases like “Herewith enclosed” or “Herewith submitted,” often in email subject lines or formal memos. While not common in casual speech, its semantic contribution is still recognized in formal writing as a concise indicator of inclusion. The word thus preserves its historical posture, serving as a compact, ceremonious connector between the item and the accompanying text.
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Words that rhyme with "herewith"
-ith sounds
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