How to Pronounce “mischievous”

American (US)

/ˈmɪstʃɪvəs/

British (UK)

/ˈmɪstʃɪvəs/

adjective — Playfully causing trouble or annoyance.

Example: The puppy gave a mischievous look before stealing the sock.

Synonyms: naughty, impish, playful

Antonyms: well-behaved

Where the stress falls. “mischievous” has 3 syllables, and the transcription /ˈmɪstʃɪvəs/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the first one — so the first syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.

An unstressed vowel reduces to schwa. /ˈmɪstʃɪvəs/ contains a schwa /ə/ — the short, neutral “uh” that English unstressed syllables collapse into. Saying /ə/ there, instead of the vowel the spelling suggests, is most of what makes the word sound native.

What does "mischievous" mean?

mischievous (adjective): Playfully causing trouble or annoyance. For example — The puppy gave a mischievous look before stealing the sock.

How do you pronounce "mischievous" in American vs British English?

Both accents use the same sequence of phonemes for "mischievous", /ˈmɪstʃɪvəs/, so the difference you hear is in how the vowels are coloured rather than in which sounds are used. Play both on this page to compare.

What is the IPA transcription of "mischievous"?

/ˈmɪstʃɪvəs/ in American English, /ˈmɪstʃɪvəs/ in British English.

Which syllable is stressed in "mischievous"?

“mischievous” has 3 syllables, and the transcription /ˈmɪstʃɪvəs/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the first one — so the first syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.

• Commonly mispronounced words