2 syllables: Wiz, ened. Stress on Wiz.
WEYE-zuhnd
/ˈwaɪzənd/
Wizened is pronounced WEYE-zuhnd (/ˈwaɪzənd/). It has two syllables (Wiz-ened), with the stress on "Wiz". Wizened is an adjective describing something that has become dry, shrunken, or withered with age or time. It conveys a sense of aged, weathered, or shriveled appearance or quality, often used metaphorically to denote wisdom or experience gained through time. The term carries a slightly archaic or literary tone and implies a pronounced change from youth to aged condition.
adjectiveWizened is an adjective describing something that has become dry, shrunken, or withered with age or time. It conveys a sense of aged, weathered, or shriveled appearance or quality, often used metaphorically to denote wisdom or experience gained through time. The term carries a slightly archaic or literary tone and implies a pronounced change from youth to aged condition.
"The wizened tree stood stubbornly at the edge of the hill, its bark cracked with age."
"Her wizened hands told stories of decades spent in careful labor."
"The wizened old man offered quiet, weathered wisdom to the younger travelers."
Pronounce as /ˈwɪzənd/. Stress on the first syllable: WIZ-ened. The first syllable uses a short I as in kit, followed by z sound. The second syllable is a schwa followed by n d, so it ends with -zənd. Tip: keep the second syllable light and quick to maintain the word’s compact, archaic feel. Listen for a touch of a reduced vowel in the second syllable. Audio resources: you can compare with Cambridge dict or Forvo.
Common mistakes: misplacing the stress (say wiz-ened vs WIZ-ened), pronouncing the second syllable as -ened with a full vowel rather than a reduced schwa, and overpronouncing the final d. Corrections: keep the second syllable as a quick schwa /ə/ followed by /nd/, not /ɛn-d/. Maintain primary stress on the first syllable. Practice by saying WIZ-ən(d) with a light, short ending.
In US/UK/AU, the initial /ˈwɪzən/ retains the same rhythm, but rhoticity subtly colors the vowel quality and the final /d/. US often has a slightly tighter /ə/ before /nd/ and a more centralized schwa; UK may have a marginally crisper /z/ and a more open /ɪ/ before it; Australian often has a more centralized /ə/ and a softer final consonant. Overall the pronunciation remains close to /ˈwɪzənd/ but with minor vowel height and rhotic cues.
The difficulty lies in the second syllable’s reduced vowel and the rapid transition from /z/ to /ə/ to /nd/. The schwa in /ə/ is subtle and easy to overpronounce, making it sound like /ˈwɪzɛn(d)/. Also, the cluster /zd/ can invite a lingering sound for non-native speakers. Focus on a crisp /ˈwɪzənd/ with a quick, light /ə/ and a clean /nd/ closure.
The key is the light, unstressed second syllable /ə/ and the soft, almost syllabic /nd/ ending. You’ll want to keep the /z/ robust but fluid into the schwa, so the transition is smooth rather than abrupt. Avoid overemphasizing the second syllable; aim for a compact, clipped two-syllable rhythm that preserves the word’s antique, literary tone.
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US: rhotic but soft; UK: crisper /z/ and a slightly clearer /ɪ/; AU: more centralized vowel in the second syllable. Keep the first syllable steady /ˈwɪ/ with a firm /z/; let the /ə/ be light and quick. In all, the key is a quick, subdued second syllable and a crisp final /nd/. Reference IPA: /ˈwɪzənd/.
Wizened comes from the Middle English wizened, from the archaic verb wizen, meaning to wither or shrivel, derived from the Old English gewizen, from wisan ‘to dry up, wither’ in some dialectal forms, and possibly influenced by the Proto-Germanic *wisanan meaning ‘to become moist or wet’ (though the primary lineage is tied to withering). The sense path moved from the literal physical withering of flesh or plants to a figurative sense of “aged, shriveled” and ultimately “wisdom gained through age” as a metaphor. Early attestations appear in late medieval and early modern English texts, with the noun-like use appearing in poetry and prose to evoke aged appearance and seasoned character. First known uses appear in writings that describe landscapes or persons marked by time, where wizened carries both a physical and moral or experiential implication, often in literary or solemn contexts. The word’s current, more common modern usage emphasizes the physical description and atmospheric mood rather than a direct moral judgment, retaining its slightly poetic or literary register.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Wizened" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Wizened"
-son sounds
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