How to pronounce harden
Say it like HAR-dun. Harden has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HAR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce harden. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HAR
- dun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Harden pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HARSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- dunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of harden
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: HAH-dun.
What does harden mean?
- become hard or harder“The wax hardened”
- make hard or harder“The cold hardened the butter”
- harden by reheating and cooling in oil“temper steel”
Where does harden come from?
From Middle English hardenen, equivalent to hard + -en.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with harden
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of harden.
Questions about saying harden
How do you pronounce harden?
Say HAR-dun. The American pronunciation is /ˈhɑrdən/. In British English it is /ˈhɑːdən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in harden?
Harden has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HAR). Broken into parts: HAR · dun.
Is harden pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈhɑːdən/ (HAH-dun).