2 syllables: Hor, ror. Stress on Hor.
HAW-rur
/ˈhɔɹɚ/
Horror is pronounced HAW-rur (/ˈhɔɹɚ/). It has two syllables (Hor-ror), with the stress on "Hor". Horror is a noun referring to intense fear, shocking or disturbing atmosphere, or a genre designed to frighten. It can denote the feeling of fear itself or works (films, literature) that aim to evoke that fear through suspense, the supernatural, or grim imagery. In everyday use, it often appears in phrases like “horror movie” or “horror story.”.
nounHorror is a noun referring to intense fear, shocking or disturbing atmosphere, or a genre designed to frighten. It can denote the feeling of fear itself or works (films, literature) that aim to evoke that fear through suspense, the supernatural, or grim imagery. In everyday use, it often appears in phrases like “horror movie” or “horror story.”
"The horror in the abandoned house sent chills down my spine."
"She kept the window closed to shield herself from the horror outside."
"The film blends psychological horror with supernatural elements."
Horror is pronounced with two syllables: /ˈhɔːr.ər/ in US and UK dictionaries, with a slight variation in vowel length. The initial syllable carries primary stress: HOR-or. Start with the open-back rounded vowel for /ɔː/ in the first syllable, then a schwa-like /ər/ in many accents. Mouth position: lips relaxed, jaw slightly dropped, tongue low-mid. You’ll want a quick, not clipped, second syllable. For practice, sound it out as HORR-er, then reduce the second [r]-colored vowel in non-rhotic accents like some UK varieties.
Common mistakes include: 1) Flattening the first vowel to /ɒ/ or /ɑ/ without the rounded quality of /ɔː/; 2) Overpronouncing the second syllable as a full /ər/ with a strong rhoticity in non-rhotic accents. Correction: open the mouth wider for /ɔː/ and let the second syllable reduce to a schwa-like /ə/ or /ər/ depending on accent; 3) Stress misplacement or trying to make it two equal syllables—keep primary stress on the first syllable (HOR-or). Practice with minimal pairs to feel the contrast.
In US English, /ˈhɔːrər/ with rhotic /r/ in both syllables and a clear /ɔː/ in the first vowel. UK English often reduces the second vowel slightly toward /ə/ and may be less rhotic in some dialects, yielding /ˈhɒrə/ or /ˈhɒrə/ with a shorter second syllable. Australian English resembles UK in vowel quality but tends to be flatter with a more centralized /ə/ in the second syllable. Across accents, the core issue is the first syllable vowel quality and the presence or reduction of rhotic r in the second syllable.
The difficulty lies in the two-syllable sequence with a rounded back vowel in the first syllable and a reduced, often schwa-like second syllable. Learners frequently mispronounce the /ɔː/ as /ɒ/ or /ɑ/ and mismanage the /ər/ cluster, especially in non-rhotic dialects where the final /r/ is not pronounced. Tactile guidance: block the lips for /ɔː/ with a rounded shape, then relax the mouth for a shorter, softer /ə/ or /ər/ in the second syllable. IPA awareness helps you map the mouth positions precisely.
In many US varieties, the second syllable is /ər/ with rhoticity, sounding like HOR-er, where the /r/ is pronounced. In many UK and Australian accents, the final /r/ is non-rhotic, yielding something closer to /hɒrə/ or /ˈhɒrə/. Practically: aim for /ˈhɔːr.ə/ in non-rhotic speech as a common reference, then adjust to rhyme with similar words like butter /ˈbʌtə/ in rhotic vs non-rhotic contexts.
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Horror derives from the Latin horrere, meaning to shudder or tremble, related to awe and fright. The term entered English via Old French horreur, with similar roots in the Latin horrēre and horribilis (frightful). Early English usage often described causes of fright or things that caused fear, later narrowing to the sensation and to works of fiction designed to frighten. By the 18th and 19th centuries, “horror” was commonly used for both an emotional state and literary/performative genres. The modern sense—an intense, often disquieting fear, and the horror genre in film and literature—solidified in the 20th century with the rise of horror cinema and writers exploring the uncanny, gore, and psychological dread. First known uses appear in Middle English and Early Modern English texts, gradually acquiring the formal sense of fear-inducing phenomena as opposed to mere awe or surprise. In contemporary usage, it spans emotional experience (horror at the sight of danger) and mediated experiences (horror movies, horror novels), with connotations of the grim, macabre, and unsettling.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Horror" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Horror" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Horror"
-ror sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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