Illinois’ Most Mispronounced Word of 2025 Is a Popular Beer Name

I’ll give you a hint—it’s a word Illinois drinkers say a lot but still can’t quite get right. It’s not paczki, and it’s not Des Plaines (though that one deserves an honorable mention). It’s the name of something cold, crisp, and available at just about every grocery store and bar across the state. Still stumped? Keep scrolling, you’ve probably said it wrong, too.

The Word That’s Tripping Up Illinois

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According to a new study from Unscramblerer.com, this particular word tops the list of Illinois’ most mispronounced terms for 2025. The research looked at Google searches for “How do you pronounce…” and found our state’s most frequent offender comes straight from the beer aisle.

So what is it?

The study says Illinois has trouble pronouncing Yuengling—yes, that beer. Turns out we’ve been saying it every possible way except the right one. The correct pronunciation is “YING-ling.” Not “Yoo-ling,” not “Yang-ling,” and definitely not “I’ll take that Pennsylvania one with the eagle on it.” I thank all the Chicago Cubs games I watch on the Marquee Network for learning how to pronounce this beer brand, as their commercials ran all season long during the game broadcasts.

Midwest Mouthfuls

To be fair, Illinois isn’t the only one struggling. Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio all ranked "paczki" as their top tongue-twister, while Iowa’s tripping over "dachshund." Kentucky’s apparently fighting over "chamomile."

Why We Can’t Say What We Mean

Experts say curiosity—and embarrassment—drive most of these Google searches. With more than 40 regional accents and a language full of exceptions, Americans are bound to butcher a few.

America’s Top 10 Mispronounced Words

1. Gyro (YEE-roh)
2. Worcestershire (WUSS-ter-sheer)
3. Acai (ah-SIGH-ee)
4. Qatar (KAH-tar)
5. Dachshund (DAKS-hund)
6. Niche (NEESH)
7. Aoife (EE-fah)
8. Charcuterie (shar-KOO-tuh-ree)
9. Paczki (POONCH-kee)
10. Primeval (pry-MEE-vul)

See the full national list from Unscramblerer.com.

RELATED: Illinois Peeps Have Had Enough of You Mispronouncing These 10 Words