Pronunciation guide
How to pronounce heinous
HAY-nus - two syllables, rhyming with 'Janus'
US/ˈheɪnəs/
heɪnəs
UK/ˈheɪnəs/
heɪnəs
New to IPA symbols? Read the IPA guide.
Common mistake
Not 'HEE-nee-us' or 'HY-nus'; the 'ei' says 'ay' - 'HAY-nus'.
What “heinous” means
Totally reprehensible.
Bad, evil or villainous.
In a sentence
- The crime was heinous and shocked the community.
- The investigators pursued the heinous act without mercy.
Definitions and examples are derived from Wiktionary, used under CC BY-SA 4.0, then edited by QuickPronounce. Pronunciation data draws on CMUdict.