How to pronounce hardness
Say it like HARD-nus. Hardness has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HARD).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce hardness. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- HARD
- nus
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Hardness pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- HARDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- nusKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of hardness
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: HAHD-nus.
What does hardness mean?
- The quality of being hard.
- An instance of this quality; hardship.
- The quantity of calcium carbonate dissolved in water, usually expressed in parts per million (ppm).
Where does hardness come from?
From Middle English hardness, hardnesse, from Old English heardnes, from heard + -nes, equivalent to hard + -ness.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying hardness
How do you pronounce hardness?
Say HARD-nus. The American pronunciation is /ˈhɑrdnəs/. In British English it is /ˈhɑːdnəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in hardness?
Hardness has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (HARD). Broken into parts: HARD · nus.
Is hardness 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 /ˈhɑːdnəs/ (HAHD-nus).