uhn-NOHN
/əˈnnoʊn/
unknown is pronounced uhn-NOHN (/əˈnnoʊn/). Unknown is an adjective or noun referring to something not named or identified, or something not known or familiar. In everyday use, it signals uncertainty or concealment. When used as a modifier, it describes objects or individuals not yet recognized; as a noun, it can denote the thing that is not understood or the unknown in general. (2–4 sentences, concise core meaning.).
Unknown is an adjective or noun referring to something not named or identified, or something not known or familiar. In everyday use, it signals uncertainty or concealment. When used as a modifier, it describes objects or individuals not yet recognized; as a noun, it can denote the thing that is not understood or the unknown in general. (2–4 sentences, concise core meaning.)
- Misplacing stress: treat unknown as early-stressed on the second syllable; practice with ʌn + ˈnoʊn. - Vowel glide error: ensure /noʊ/ includes a clear /oʊ/ diphthong, not a tense /o/ or /ɔ/; mouth should start near [n] with lip rounding through the peak of /oʊ/. - Final consonant: make sure to pronounce the final /n/ crisply; avoid devoicing or nasal damping in connected speech.
"The unknown singer stepped onto the stage, unseen by the crowd."
"Scientists often explore the unknown to push the boundaries of knowledge."
"Her past remained the unknown, left to the imagination of others."
You say it as /ʌnˈnoʊn/ in US English, with two syllables: un- + known. The second syllable carries primary stress: un-NOAN. Your mouth starts with a mid-back lax vowel /ʌ/ as in 'cup,' then moves to /ˈnoʊn/ where /noʊ/ rhymes with 'go,' ending with /n/. Keep the /n/ closure crisp. For UK/AU, the sequence is similar: /ʌnˈnəʊn/ in non-rhotic accents; the final /n/ remains, and /əʊ/ becomes /əʊ/ or close. Audio reference: you can compare with “unknown” in dictionaries or pronunciation tools for listening confirmation.
Common mistakes include pronouncing it as /ˈʌnˌɔn/ or merging 'un' with 'own' incorrectly. Another frequent error is reducing the second syllable to a schwa /ə/ or misplacing stress as un-NOWN. To correct: emphasize the second syllable fully with /ˈnoʊn/ and maintain /ʌ/ at the start. Practice by isolating the two syllables: /ʌn/ + /ˈnoʊn/ and then blend smoothly. Listening to native examples helps lock the correct vowel quality for /ʌ/ and /oʊ/.
In US English, the pronunciation is /ʌnˈnoʊn/ with rhotic r lack affecting only if the following vowel; the final /n/ is clear. In many UK variants, you’ll hear /ʌnˈnəʊn/ with a clearer non-rhotic influence and a reduced second vowel /ə/ before /ʊ/; the ending remains /n/. Australian English tends toward /ʌnˈnəʊn/ similar to UK, with slightly broader vowels and non-rhotic tendencies; the /əʊ/ vowel often shifts toward more centralized /əʊ/. Across accents, emphasis stays on the second syllable, but vowel qualities subtly shift.
The challenge lies in coordinating a clear onset /ʌn/ with a strong second-syllable nucleus /ˈnoʊ/ and ending /n/. The vowel sequence /noʊ/ requires a precise gliding from /n/ into /oʊ/, and the final /n/ must be crisp to avoid a drawn-out syllable. Additionally, in some accents, an unreduced second vowel can drift toward /ə/ or /ɪ/ in connected speech, softening the second syllable. Focus on isolating the two-syllable rhythm and maintain a steady pace between syllables for clarity.
A notable feature is the composition of two phonologically distinct segments: a short /ʌn/ onset followed by a long, rounded /noʊn/ nucleus and coda. This makes it feel like a strong secondary syllable anchor. The contrast between the lax /ʌ/ and the lengthened /oʊ/ diphthong in the stressed syllable helps create the word’s characteristic cadence. In rapid speech, avoid truncating the /noʊn/ by running into the /n/ too quickly; keep the diphthong full.
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- US: rhoticity matters in connected speech; /ˈnoʊn/ remains stable; /ʌ/ as in 'cup.' - UK: non-rhotic tendency; the second syllable may reduce to /nəʊn/ with a weaker second vowel; keep /n/ clear. - AU: similar to UK, with slightly broader vowels and less vowel reduction in rapid speech; maintain /ʊ/ or /ə/ qualities depending on speaker. IPA references: US /ʌnˈnoʊn/, UK /ʌnˈnəʊn/, AU /ʌnˈnəʊn/.
Unknown derives from Old English unknown, combining un- (a negating prefix) with known, from the Proto-Germanic *kunnon-/*kunnan- meaning ‘to know’ or ‘to be aware.’ The term appears in Middle English as unknowen or unknowen with various spellings, used to describe something not yet perceived or named. The historical sense centers on absence of knowledge or identification. Over time, the word broadened to cover abstract notions such as the unknown future, the unknown quantity, or unknown quantities in mathematics. In modern English, unknown functions both as a determiner (the unknown variable) and a noun (the unknown). First known uses surface in texts discussing lack of knowledge, uncertainty, or hidden information, with the sense intensifying in literature about mystery or risk. The word’s evolution mirrors shifts from concrete ignorance to abstract ambiguity, and then to the figurative domain that labels anything not yet comprehended. The prefix un- has Germanic roots, while the stem known traces to the Proto-Indo-European root *gno-/*no-, indicating ‘to know’ as a cognitive act; the combined form has preserved its essential negation across centuries. This word is deeply integrated into scientific, literary, and everyday registers, where it frequently collocates with adjectives like absolute, total, or inherent, highlighting degrees of epistemic distance.
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Words that rhyme with "unknown"
-own sounds
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