thurst
/θɝst/
thirst is pronounced thurst (/θɝst/). Thirst refers to a strong desire for fluids, typically triggered by bodily signals of dehydration. It can also denote a strong longing or need for something. In everyday use, thirst most often describes the urge to drink water, and metaphorically, a hunger for knowledge or experience can be described as thirst.
Thirst refers to a strong desire for fluids, typically triggered by bodily signals of dehydration. It can also denote a strong longing or need for something. In everyday use, thirst most often describes the urge to drink water, and metaphorically, a hunger for knowledge or experience can be described as thirst.
- You may substitute /θ/ with /f/ or /t/; this changes the word’s identity and can confuse listeners. When practicing, place the tongue gently between teeth and blow air; you’ll feel a crisp, airy sound rather than pushing air as with /f/. - The /ɜː/ (US /ɝ/) vowel can shift toward a short /ɪ/ or a schwa in rapid speech. Maintain a mid-central vowel with slightly raised tongue and relaxed lips; avoid closing the vowel early before /st/. - The /st/ cluster should be released cleanly; avoid letting the /t/ merge with the /s/ or altering it into a slow, drawn-out consonant cluster. Practice a quick, crisp transition from /s/ to /t/.
"Her thirst for water after the long run was obvious as she gulped from the bottle."
"In literature, a character's thirst for power often drives the plot."
"The charity worker spoke of a thirst for justice that motivated the volunteers."
Pronounce as two sounds: the initial interdental fricative /θ/ (tongue gently between teeth), followed by the mid-to-high back vowel /ɜː/ (US /ɝ/ in rhotic accents or /ɜː/ in non-rhotic), then /s/ and /t/ in an unreleased or lightly released cluster. Stress is on the single syllable. IPA: US /ˈθɜːrst/ or /ˈθɝst/, UK /ˈθɜːst/, AU /ˈθɜːst/. Mouth positions: tip to teeth for /θ/, jaw slightly lowered, tongue blade high and central for /ɜː/; edge of tongue close to alveolar ridge for /s/; lips neutral or slightly spread. You’ll hear a concise crisp /st/ tail with minimal vowel movement before it.
Two frequent errors: (1) Substituting /t/ or /d/ for the initial /θ/, which replaces the thin air flow cue; practice with a gentle 'th' by placing the tongue between teeth and blowing softly. (2) Slurring the /ɜː/ vowel into a neutral schwa or misplacing it as /ɪ/ or /ɜ/ in rhotic speakers; ensure the vowel is a mid-central long sound by keeping tongue center raised with lips relaxed. Practice transitions: carry /θ/ then hold /ɜː/ before the /st/.
In US rhotic accents, vowels are often /ɝ/ before /st/ (as in /ˈɝst/ with r-coloring), giving a slightly r-colored vowel. UK non-rhotic varieties often have /ˈθɜːst/ with a longer, tenselike /ɜː/ vowel and less diphthongization. Australian English typically uses /ˈθɜːst/ with a concise /ɜː/ and a clear /st/ cluster; some speakers may slightly reduce /ɜː/ toward /əː/ in fast speech. The initial /θ/ remains constant across accents, but vowel length and rhoticity shape the overall quality.
Because you must produce a voiceless interdental fricative /θ/ with precise tongue placement between teeth, which is easy to substitute with /f/ or /s/ if you’re not careful. Then you transition to a mid-central vowel /ɜː/ that requires keeping the jaw relatively closed and the tongue steady while moving into the /st/ cluster. The difficulty also lies in the quick, clean release from /s/ to /t/ without a vocalic interruption, especially in connected speech.
No, thirst does not have a silent letter. Each consonant in the sequence /θ/ (interdental fricative), /ɜː/ (vowel), /s/, and /t/ is pronounced in standard varieties. The /θ/ requires tongue-between-teeth placement, which is the feature most distinguishing thirst from similar-looking words.
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- US: rhoticization affects the vowel quality before the r-color; you may hear a slightly more defined /ɝ/ or /ɜː/ depending on region. Keep the tongue root a touch closer to the back of the mouth. - UK: longer /ɜː/ and a non-rhotic vowel; keep the jaw relatively relaxed with a clean /θ/ onset; the /t/ should be released with the tip of the tongue just behind top teeth. - AU: /ɜː/ is common with a flat, steady vowel; avoid over-lengthening; keep a crisp /st/. IPA: /θɜːst/. - Practical tip: practice in a mirror to monitor lip relaxation and tongue posture; aim for minimal jaw movement and consistent breath flow for all three accents.
The word thirst comes from Old English thurst (or thyrst) related to thirstian, itself linked to Proto-Germanic *thurstuz and Proto-Indo-European *t̥rt- meaning to rub or press, hinting at desire or urge. In Middle English, thirst appeared as thyrst or thurst, with evolving spelling but consistent semantic core: a drive or need, typically for liquids, later broadening metaphorically to any strong desire. The semantic field expanded in Early Modern English into figurative uses like thirst for knowledge. The word shares cognates across Germanic languages (e.g., Dutch dorst, German Durst), all denoting a strong appetite or craving. First written attestations appear in Old English texts around the 9th-11th centuries, with the sense of a physical need for liquid being the most persistent meaning. Through centuries, thirst maintained its dual physical/metaphorical senses, now common in both medical discourse and everyday speech.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "thirst" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "thirst" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "thirst"
-rth sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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