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The 10 Word Pronunciations People Are Searching for Most

Find out which tricky terms top the pronunciation search charts.
ByCaLea Johnson|
So tasty and so hard to pronounce.
So tasty and so hard to pronounce. | SimpleImages/GettyImages

Languages are challenging for many reasons, from strange nickname origins to confusing text abbreviations. Pronunciation is yet another thing that makes languages more challenging to learn. That said, there are 10 terms that Google searchers tend to struggle with the most. 

  1. These 10 Words Are Tough to Get Right

Analysts at Riverside used Google search data from June 2024 to May 2025 to identify which words generated the highest number of pronunciation inquiries. They used Google Keyword Planner to determine the search volume of each word. The inquiries included things like “how do you pronounce [word],” “pronunciation of [word],” “correct [word] pronunciation,” and “how to say [word].” The data analysts then combined the search volume of each term to compile the ranking below. The results might be a bit surprising.

According to the study, croissant is among the many foods people find hard to pronounce. It’s the most difficult, with 160,510 average monthly searches. Different regions have their way of saying the French pastry’s name, whether it’s “KWAH-sahnt” or “kruh-SAHNT.” The term açaí (or “uh-sigh-ee”) received 106,846 monthly searches, making it second on the list. The South American berry has become a “superfood” favorite for many folks in recent years, mainly because of its high doses of antioxidants, fiber, healthy fats, and calcium.

Schedule is the third-most searched word, coming in at 103,359 searches per month. This result is probably because of the differences in the UK (sheh-dule) and U.S. (skeh-dule) pronunciations.

Some entries on the list might be expected. For example, people have debated the pronunciation of Worcestershire for a while. The word’s spelling is particularly confusing because of its silent letters. Where you’re from will influence your pronounciation: People from Great Britain typically say “WUSS-tuh-shuh,” whereas Americans usually say “WUSS-ter-sher.”

Below is the complete list of the words that are confusing people this year:

These 10 Words Are Tough to Get Right

  1. Croissant
  2. Açaí
  3. Schedule
  4. Porsche
  5. Genre
  6. Gyroscope
  7. Worcestershire
  8. Entrepreneur 
  9. Massachussetts
  10.  Heirarchy 

There are tons of tricky words out there. Here are some that you’re likely mispronouncing.

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