How to pronounce inherent
Say it like in-HEER-unt. Inherent has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (HEER).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce inherent. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- in
- HEER
- unt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Inherent pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- inKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- HEERSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- untKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of inherent
American and British speakers say inherent in essentially the same way: /ɪnˈhɪrənt/ in the US and /ɪnˈhɛrənt/ in the UK.
British respelling: in-HER-unt.
Other ways to say inherent
Inherent also has this pronunciation, usually with a different meaning or use:
- in-HER-unt /ɪnˈhɛrənt/
What does inherent mean?
- existing as an essential constituent or characteristic“the Ptolemaic system with its built-in concept of periodicity”“a constitutional inability to tell the truth”
- in the nature of something though not readily apparent“shortcomings inherent in our approach”“an underlying meaning”
Where does inherent come from?
From Latin inhaerentem, accusative singular of inhaerēns, present active participle of inhaereō (“to be closely connected with; to adhere to”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with inherent
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of inherent.
Questions about saying inherent
How do you pronounce inherent?
Say in-HEER-unt. The American pronunciation is /ɪnˈhɪrənt/. In British English it is /ɪnˈhɛrənt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in inherent?
Inherent has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (HEER). Broken into parts: in · HEER · unt.
Do Americans and Brits say inherent the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ɪnˈhɪrənt/ and the British form is /ɪnˈhɛrənt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.