Even some of the world's best spellers consider these words to be insanely difficult! What makes a word "tricky?" Many National Spelling Bee contestants know that some of the hardest words to spell fall into the following categories.
- Some are just so long, a speller gets lost.
- Some have very peculiar double letters, like yy or jj.
- Some have a silent first letter.
- Many simply don't follow any spelling rules from the language from which they are derived.
- Most just have a pronunciation that doesn't obviate the spelling at all.
- Many are geographic names or derived from a person's name.
Studying for a regional, state, or national spelling bee and need a new list of tough words? Have someone find these in the dictionary and give you the
pronunciation, meaning, and language of origin. See how many you can
guess! Many of the pronunciations will surprise you.
Hexco's List of Insanely Difficult Words
abhiseka
ajonjoli
Anschauungen
A'nyêmaqên
avijja
creaght
cynganeddion
Czestochowa
Djuka
dzeggetai
Eijkman test
Firbolg
fizelyite
fuidhir
giclèe
ihleite
Leixões
Pfannenstiel incision
Qeqertarsuaq
Rishon LeZiyyon
's Hertogenbosch
Shaanxi
taoiseach
tjurunga
tyiyn
Ujjain
Wrocław
Looking for additional insanely challenging words? Try our Blitz Lists! Used by top-level National Spelling Bee contestants, in 2019, 88% of National Spelling Bee finalists used this product.
Want to go further? Try our Personal Spelling Coach Program!