How to pronounce learned
Say it like LURND. Learned is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce learned. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- LURND
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Learned pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- LURNDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of learned
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: LURND.
What does learned mean?
- having or showing profound knowledge“a learned jurist”“an erudite professor”
- highly educated; having extensive information or understanding“knowing instructors”“a knowledgeable critic”
- established by conditioning or learning“a conditioned response”
Where does learned come from?
From Middle English lerned, lernd, lernyd, equivalent to learn + -ed, which replaced the earlier lered (“taught”), from Old English (ġe)lǣred, past participle of lǣran (“to teach”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with learned
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of learned.
Questions about saying learned
How do you pronounce learned?
Say LURND. The American pronunciation is /lɝnd/. In British English it is /lɜːnd/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in learned?
Learned is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: LURND.
Is learned 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 /lɜːnd/ (LURND).