10 Words You See But Don't Hear

Have you ever come across words that are commonly written but rarely spoken aloud? These words are often seen in written text but not commonly used in verbal communication.

Below is a list of 10 such words:

  1. Colonel
  2. Queue
  3. Epitome
  4. Chaos
  5. Bologna
  6. Liaison
  7. Wednesday
  8. Cockroach
  9. Subtle
  10. Debris

These words can be tricky when it comes to pronunciation, as they often deviate from their spelling.

1. Colonel

The word 'colonel' is a high-ranking military officer title, but it is famously pronounced as 'kernel.' This deviation from spelling can catch many people off guard.

2. Queue

'Queue' refers to a line of people, but its pronunciation as 'kyoo' can be surprising to those who have only read the word.

3. Epitome

When you see 'epitome,' you might expect it to sound like 'ep-ee-tome,' but it is actually pronounced as 'ih-pit-uh-mee.'

4. Chaos

Despite the 'ch' at the beginning, 'chaos' is pronounced as 'kay-oss,' which might not be immediately apparent from its spelling.

5. Bologna

The word 'bologna' is often mispronounced due to its unique spelling. It is actually pronounced as 'buh-loh-nee.'

6. Liaison

'Liaison' is a word that looks straightforward but is pronounced as 'lee-ay-zon,' deviating from its written form.

7. Wednesday

'Wednesday' is a day of the week that is commonly spelled without sounding all the letters. It is pronounced as 'wenz-day.'

8. Cockroach

The word 'cockroach' can be a surprise when spoken aloud as 'kok-roach' instead of 'kok-roach' as one might expect from the spelling.

9. Subtle

'Subtle' is a word where the 'b' is notably silent, making its pronunciation as 'suh-tl' different from its appearance.

10. Debris

'Debris' is a word that deceives with its silent 's,' pronounced as 'dehb-ree.'

These words serve as examples of the disparities that can exist between how words appear in writing and how they are spoken aloud.


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