How to pronounce hellacious
Say it like hel-AY-shus. Hellacious has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (AY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce hellacious. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- hel
- AY
- shus
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Hellacious pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- helGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- AYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- shusKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of hellacious
American and British speakers say hellacious in essentially the same way: /ˌhɛˈleɪʃəs/ in the US and /ˌhɛˈleɪʃəs/ in the UK.
British respelling: hel-AY-shus.
What does hellacious mean?
- horrible, awful, hellish, agonizing, difficult.
- nasty, repellent.
- Remarkable, unbelievable, unusual.
Where does hellacious come from?
Unclear origins; perhaps from hell + -acious
Words that rhyme with hellacious
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of hellacious.
Questions about saying hellacious
How do you pronounce hellacious?
Say hel-AY-shus. The American pronunciation is /ˌhɛˈleɪʃəs/. In British English it is /ˌhɛˈleɪʃəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in hellacious?
Hellacious has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (AY). Broken into parts: hel · AY · shus.
Do Americans and Brits say hellacious the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌhɛˈleɪʃəs/ and the British form is /ˌhɛˈleɪʃəs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.