Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

sworn

/swɔɹn/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.90 in modern English

Syllables: sworn
IPA: /swɔɹn/

8

Scrabble Score

5

Letters

1

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

past participle of swear

adj

Given or declared under oath.

adj

Bound as though by an oath.

adj

Ardent, devout.

Example Sentences

"His sworn statement convinced the judge."
"I'm sworn to secrecy."
"Swum ashore, man, like a duck. I can swim like a duck, I'll be sworn."
"a sworn foe"
"a sworn socialist"

Etymology

From Middle English sworen, isworen, from Old English sworen, ġesworen, from Proto-West Germanic *swaran, *giswaran, from Proto-Germanic *swaranaz, past participle of Proto-Germanic *swarjaną (“to swear”), equivalent to swear + -en.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: sworen, *swaran, *swaranaz, *swarjaną

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /swɔɹn/
British English: /swɔːn/

Derived Forms

nonsworn unsworn

Phrases

sworn broker sworn virgin

Synonyms

pledged

Rhymes With

born first-born porn worn corn horn torn warn borne thorn mourn reborn

Questions

How do you pronounce sworn?: The recorded pronunciation is /swɔɹn/.
What does sworn mean?: past participle of swear
Where does sworn come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce sworn

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “sworn”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/swɔɹn/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “sworn”.
Repeat and practice — Say “sworn” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.