2 syllables: Po, grom. Stress on grom.
puh-GRAHM
/pəˈɡɹɑm/
Pogrom is pronounced puh-GRAHM (/pəˈɡɹɑm/). It has two syllables (Po-grom), with the stress on "grom". Pogrom is a noun referring to a violent, organized attack against a specific ethnic or religious group, historically used to describe massacres of Jewish communities in Eastern Europe. It denotes targeted, often state-tolerated or state-condoned violence, typically involving destruction of property and physical harm. The term carries heavy historical and ethical weight and is used in scholarly and historical contexts rather than everyday dialogue.
nounPogrom is a noun referring to a violent, organized attack against a specific ethnic or religious group, historically used to describe massacres of Jewish communities in Eastern Europe. It denotes targeted, often state-tolerated or state-condoned violence, typically involving destruction of property and physical harm. The term carries heavy historical and ethical weight and is used in scholarly and historical contexts rather than everyday dialogue.
- Common error: softening the second syllable 'g' or muting the /ɡ/; correction: keep a firm /ɡ/ followed by /r/ without a pause. - Error: misplacing stress on the first syllable; correction: practice saying po-GROM with primary stress on the second syllable. - Problem: vowel quality in first syllable varies; correction: adopt a clear /oʊ/ or /ɒ/ depending on accent; keep it rounded and relaxed. - Tip: practice with minimal pairs like 'dom' and 'grom' to feel the transition between syllables. - Practice: say the word in a phrase: 'the pogrom era' to embed rhythm.
How to Pronounce Pogrom
"The city witnessed a pogrom that left several neighborhoods in ruins."
"Scholars study the pogroms of the 19th and 20th centuries to understand patterns of mass violence."
"The museum exhibit documented the pogroms that affected Jewish communities across the region."
Pronounce as po-GRÓM with the second syllable stressed: po- (peɪ-like or poʊ depending on speaker) + 'GROM' with a hard 'g' and short o as in 'mom'. IPA for US: poʊˈɡrɒm; UK: pɒˈɡrɒm; AU: poˈɡɹɒm. Focus on the stressed second syllable and the rounded back vowel in the first syllable. Audio reference: consult Pronounce or Forvo entry for ‘pogrom’.
Common errors: (1) stressing the first syllable instead of the second; (2) mispronouncing the second syllable as ‘gram’ with a soft vowel like ‘gram’ in ‘grammar’ or misplacing the rounded 'o' sound; (3) substituting a 'gw' or 'g' softness in American accents. Correction: place primary stress on the second syllable: po-GROM; use a clear short o sound [ɒ] or [ɒ] in non-rhotic and rhotic accents, ensuring the ‘g’ is hard, not a fricative. Practice with minimal pairs.
US: /poʊˈɡrɒm/—diphthong in the first syllable, rhotic accent; UK: /pɒˈɡrɒm/—shorter, flatter first vowel, non-rhotic; AU: /poˈɡɹɒm/—variations in rhoticity depending on speaker; all share second-syllable stress and a hard 'g' but vowel qualities differ. Pay attention to rhoticity, vowel length, and the prosodic weight on the second syllable.
Difficulty arises from the two-syllable pattern with secondary consonant cluster /ɡr/ and a stressed second syllable; the first syllable uses a rounded back vowel that varies by region; the 'r' quality and whether you nasalize the 'o' can differ by accent. You’ll need to coordinate a firm /g/ immediately before /r/ and maintain the stress on the second syllable. IPA cues: /poʊˈɡrɒm/ (US).
No, the 'o' is not silent. The first syllable contains a stressed vowel that can be realized as /oʊ/ in General American or /ɒ/ in British/Australian variants. The second syllable contains /ɡrɒm/, so the 'o' in the first syllable is essential for the word’s rhythm and meaning. Emphasize the vowel in the first syllable to avoid a clipped pronunciation.
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- US: rhotic and diphthong in first syllable; ensure /poʊ/ has a smooth glide into /ˈɡrɒm/. - UK: shorter /ɒ/ in both syllables; keep non-rhoticity, linking to next word. - AU: variable rhoticity; more syllabic clarity on /ɒ/; keep the /ɹ/ sound light and avoid over-articulating.
Pogrom comes from the Russian word погромъ (pogrom), meaning 'to wreak havoc, to demolish violently.' The term emerged in 19th-century Russia in the context of anti-Jewish violence and was popularized in English-language journalism to describe organized massacres. The Russian root pogrom is a combination of po- (a prefix implying 'toward' or 'in response to') and -gram derived from the Greek γράμμα (gramma) in some analyses, though the word is often treated as a standalone root meaning destruction. The term spread to other languages via Yiddish and Central/Eastern European Jewish communities, maintaining a clear association with communal violence rather than isolated incidents. Early documented usage in English dates to the 19th century, with prominent references during the late 19th and early 20th centuries as antisemitic violence escalated in the Russian Empire and parts of Eastern Europe. Over time, ‘pogrom’ has acquired a broader but still highly specific meaning: an organized, state- or mob-facilitated attack on a minority group, especially Jews, marked by looting, arson, and killing. In modern scholarship, it remains a precise historical term, used with critical sensitivity due to its traumatic implications and the weight of collective memory associated with Jewish communities’ experiences.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Pogrom" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Pogrom"
-ram sounds
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