YUHNG-gur
/ˈjʌŋɡɚ/
younger is pronounced YUHNG-gur (/ˈjʌŋɡɚ/). Younger is the comparative form of young, describing someone or something not as old as another. In pronunciation, it is typically stressed on the first syllable in two-syllable uses (YOU-nger), with a reduced second syllable in many contexts. The word blends /ˈjʌŋ.ɚ/ in General American and /ˈjʌŋ.ə/ in many UK pronunciations, yielding a short, rounded first vowel and a schwa or rhotacized ending depending on accent.
Younger is the comparative form of young, describing someone or something not as old as another. In pronunciation, it is typically stressed on the first syllable in two-syllable uses (YOU-nger), with a reduced second syllable in many contexts. The word blends /ˈjʌŋ.ɚ/ in General American and /ˈjʌŋ.ə/ in many UK pronunciations, yielding a short, rounded first vowel and a schwa or rhotacized ending depending on accent.
"That younger coworker joined us last week."
"A younger player won the match."
"We adopted a younger approach to the project."
Younger is pronounced with two syllables, stress on the first: /ˈjʌŋ.ɚ/ in US, /ˈjʌŋ.ə/ in UK. Start with a short, lax /j/ followed by /ʌ/ as in 'cup', then /ŋ/ as in 'sing', and finish with a rhotacized or schwa-ending depending on accent. Mouth positions: jaws slightly open, tongue high-mid for /ʌ/, tongue blade to palate for /j/, tip raised for /ŋ/, and relaxed lips for the final vowel. You’ll hear a quick, light ending in American English: /ɚ/ or /ə/.
Two frequent errors: (1) Over-pronouncing the second syllable by using a full /ɚ/ when many speakers reduce to /ə/; (2) Misplacing stress, saying 'YOUnger' with excessive emphasis or misplacing the /ŋ/; ensure the primary stress remains on the first syllable and let the second syllable be light. Practice the sequence j-ʌ-ŋ and a relaxed final vowel. For correction, isolate the sounds: /j/ + /ʌ/ + /ŋ/ + /ɚ/ or /ə/, and blend smoothly.
In US English, /ˈjʌŋ.ɚ/ with a rhotic endings; the ending /ɚ/ is pronounced clearly in many dialects but can reduce to /ə/ in rapid speech. UK English often uses /ˈjʌŋ.ə/ with a non-rhotic ending, and the second syllable tends to be a stronger schwa. Australian English typically has /ˈjʌŋ.ə/ with a slightly flatter vowel and non-rhoticity in many speakers; the final vowel may be centralized. Overall, the first syllable stays the same, but rhotics and vowel quality in the second syllable vary.
The difficulty centers on the cluster /ŋ.ɚ/ or /ŋ.ə/, where the velar nasal /ŋ/ flows into a rhotacized or reduced vowel. Lip rounding, tongue height, and the subtle duration differences of /ʌ/ versus /ə/ can be tricky, especially when speaking quickly. Additionally, keeping primary stress on the first syllable while the second remains light requires precise rhythmic timing to avoid sounding like two equal beats. Practice helps separate the syllables clearly.
A key unique aspect is the potential rhotacization of the final vowel in US English: /ˈjʌŋ.ɚ/ vs. non-rhotized UK/AU /ˈjʌŋ.ə/. That subtle /ɚ/ versus /ə/ changes in mouth position and voice quality. The initial /j/ is palatal and glides into /ʌ/ quickly, then the /ŋ/ must be clearly articulated without swallowing into a hemistich; finally, the vowel can be reduced rapidly, so keep the second syllable light and fast.
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Younger comes from the Old English ȳnger, itself from the Proto-Germanic *jungaz, from the root *jung- meaning young. The comparative form development traces to Proto-Germanic evolution, paralleling other adjectives like young and newer, with the suffix -er indicating a comparative degree in English. The sense of ‘more young’ emerged in Old English and Middle English as speakers compared ages within a group, then generalized to modern usage. First recorded in Middle English as yonger, later standardized to younger by phonological reduction of the unstressed syllable. The word has retained a straightforward semantic field (age relative to another) while expanding into metaphorical spaces (younger generations, younger models), maintaining its adjective/adverbial flexibility across contexts.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "younger" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "younger"
-ger sounds
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