The most mispronounced words in the world, according to Google searches

A new study by the all-in-one podcast and video creation platform, Riverside, has revealed the words people around the world struggle to say properly.

The research analyzed global search data to identify which words generate the highest number of monthly searches for pronunciation help. The search terms used include: how do you pronounce [word], pronunciation of [word], correct [word] pronunciation, and how to say [word].

The French pastry “croissant” is the hardest word for people to pronounce with 160,510 average monthly searches. This buttery treat leaves many unsure whether to say “KWAH-sahnt” or “Kruh-SAHNT.”

The Brazilian superfood “Açaí” takes the second spot with 106,846 monthly searches, continuing the food-related search trend. The purple berry has exploded in popularity on menus worldwide, and people want to make sure they pronounce their açaí bowl order correctly.

“Schedule” is third with 103,359 searches per month. This high search volume is a likely result of the stark difference between American and British pronunciations.

German luxury car brand “Porsche” is fourth with 100,943 searches monthly. Many people incorrectly pronounce it as a single syllable rather than the correct pronunciation, "por-shuh."

“Genre” is fifth with 99,149 monthly searches, another French loanword that regularly confuses speakers. The literary and film category term leaves many unsure whether to use the French pronunciation or adopt an anglicized version.

The scientific term “gyroscope”ranks sixth with 84,309 searches per month, showing that technical and scientific words cause just as much confusion as foreign terms.

“Worcestershire” is seventh with 80,005 searches. This English County name and its famous sauce have long been considered among the most difficult English words to pronounce correctly.

“Entrepreneur”ranks eighth with 77,038 monthly searches, adding another French-derived term to the list of pronunciation challenges.

The U.S. state “Massachusetts” is ninth with 57,667 searches per month, demonstrating how place names with Native American origins frequently confuse global speakers. The northeastern state's name combines multiple syllables and unusual letter combinations that cause non-locals to struggle.

“Hierarchy” completes the top ten with 55,778 searches per month. Hierarchy is frequently used in social, corporate, and academic conversation settings; most confusion stems from whether to drop the middle ‘a’ when saying the word.

Top 10 most searched-for word pronunciations worldwide

The study revealed luxury brand names feature consistently throughout the list with “Loewe” (19th), “Yves Saint Laurent” (21st), “Hermès” (23rd), “Louis Vuitton” (30th), and “Versace” (39th) all generating significant search volumes. Shoppers show that brand name pronunciation is seen as a marker of social credibility.

Food terms cause considerable pronunciation confusion with “charcuterie” (20th), “quinoa” (27th), “jalapeño” (35th), and “chipotle” (36th) all appearing in the top 50. The globalization of cuisine has brought foreign food terms into everyday vocabulary, leaving diners worldwide searching for proper pronunciations before ordering.

The longest word in the top 100 is “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” from Mary Poppins, which ranks 22nd with 43,949 monthly searches. The made-up term continues to challenge people even decades after the film's release.

Abel Grünfeld, VP of Marketing at Riverside, commented:

"This study shows how language continues to challenge us globally, with people turning to online searches for pronunciation help millions of times each month. The data reveals interesting patterns about the types of words we collectively struggle with.

"For podcast creators and content producers, pronunciation matters tremendously. Mispronouncing a brand or technical term can undermine credibility instantly. This research helps highlight the words that require extra attention before recording.

"What's particularly interesting is how many luxury brand names appear in the list. As these brands expand internationally, their pronunciations become part of our cultural vocabulary, yet many remain challenging for speakers worldwide."

Information provided by: https://riverside.fm.

Top 40 most searched-for word pronunciations worldwide