3 syllables: I, ron, ing. Stress on I.
EYE-ur-ning
/ˈaɪɚnɪŋ/
Ironing is pronounced EYE-ur-ning (/ˈaɪɚnɪŋ/). It has three syllables (I-ron-ing), with the stress on "I". Ironing is the act or process of smoothing clothes with heat and pressure, typically using an iron. The noun refers to the activity itself and the resulting smooth, pressed fabric. In everyday usage, it often contrasts with folding or airing, and may be discussed in contexts from household chores to professional care of garments.
nounIroning is the act or process of smoothing clothes with heat and pressure, typically using an iron. The noun refers to the activity itself and the resulting smooth, pressed fabric. In everyday usage, it often contrasts with folding or airing, and may be discussed in contexts from household chores to professional care of garments.
How to Pronounce Ironing
"I’m ironing a shirt for tomorrow’s meeting."
"She hates ironing and keeps her clothes neatly folded."
"The ironing is taking longer because the steam keeps dripping."
Pronounced /ˈaɪərnɪŋ/ in General American and /ˈaɪənɪŋ/ in many UK varieties; stress is on the first syllable. Start with the diphthong /aɪ/ as in 'eye,' then a light rhotic or non-rhotic linking sound before /ə/ or /ɜr/ depending on accent, followed by /nɪŋ/. In US speech you may hear a quick /ər/ transition as /ˈaɪərnɪŋ/, while UK speakers may compress to /ˈaɪənɪŋ/ with a schwa-like second vowel. End strongly with the /ŋ/ nasal. For clarity, practice as: eye-urn-ing, ensuring the /r/ is present in rhotic accents but softened or dropped in non-rhotic ones.
Common mistakes include misplacing the stress (e.g., /ˈaɪərnɪŋ/ vs /ˈaɪərnɪŋ/ with incorrect vowel /ɜr/), and collapsing the second vowel to a strong /ɪ/ or /iː/ which makes it sound like 'iron-ing' rather than 'eye-ron-ing.' Another error is pronouncing the second syllable as /ɒ/ or /ɔː/ in non-rhotic accents. Correct by practicing the two-part vowel sequence /aɪə/ or /aɪə/ then the clear /nɪŋ/, keeping the /ɪŋ/ intact. Always land the first syllable with a strong peak and maintain a crisp /ŋ/ ending.
In US English, /ˈaɪərnɪŋ/ with a pronounced /r/ and a rhotic vowel sequence; the second syllable uses /ɪŋ/ clearly. In UK English, /ˈaɪənɪŋ/ often with non-rhotic /r/; the /r/ is either silent or very weak, and the middle vowel can glide toward /ə/ or /ɪə/. Australian accents typically favor /ˈaɪənɪŋ/ with more centralized vowels; the /r/ is non-rhotic, and the final -ing remains a crisp /ɪŋ/. Across all, the primary stress remains on the first syllable. Practice listening to regional examples to tune vowel quality and rhoticity.
The difficulty lies in the subtle vowel sequence between /aɪ/ and /ɪ/ and the transition to /ŋ/. In many accents, the middle vowel reduces and the /r/ quality changes, affecting rhotic vs non-rhotic speech. Another challenge is maintaining a distinct /n/ before /ɪŋ/ without liaisons that blur the boundary. Practicing with minimal pairs like eye-on vs eye-rn can help you anchor the correct glide and nasal. Becoming aware of mouth shape shifts for /aɪə/ or /aɪə/ helps stabilization.
In fast or casual speech, many speakers reduce the middle vowel, yielding something like /ˈaɪənɪŋ/ with a very quick, subtle glide between /aɪ/ and /ən/. The middle can sound almost like /ə/ or be swallowed by the surrounding consonants, particularly in rapid monotone speech. To counter this, practice the full two-syllable glide /aɪə/ or /aɪər/ depending on your accent, emphasizing the transition from /aɪ/ to the schwa-like /ə/ and then to /nɪŋ/. Use slow, then normal speed drills to preserve the middle segment.
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Ironing traces to the verb iron, from Old English iren, related to the Proto-Germanic ira-, and ultimately the Proto-Indo-European root *ey- meaning ‘to rub or press.’ The modern noun ironing emerged in the sense of “the act of using an iron” by the 18th–19th centuries, paralleling the rise of domestic labor tools. Early irons were heated by coal or fire and required manual pressure, evolving with metal bases and later steam features in the 19th and 20th centuries. The term appeared in household manuals and trade literature as laundry care became a standardized process. The meaning consolidated around smoothing fabrics with a heated tool, with “ironing board” and “steam iron” becoming common compound terms by the late 1800s. In contemporary usage, ironing extends beyond clothing to ironing linens or curtains, and idiomatically to “ironing out kinks” (eliminating wrinkles in non-physical contexts), though the core remains the physical smoothing action with heat and pressure.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Ironing" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Ironing" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Ironing"
-ing sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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