How to pronounce “opposed”
Opposed is pronounced /əˈpoʊzd/. It has 2 syllables, and the beat falls on the second one — poʊzd. Below: the syllable split, native audio in both accents, the mistake people actually make with this word, and every individual sound in it explained.
Syllables and stress
Split it into 2 beats. The highlighted syllable is the strong one: say it louder, longer and a touch higher in pitch, and let the others fall away. English is a stress-timed language, so getting poʊzd in the right place matters more to a listener than getting every vowel perfect.
Stress pattern oO — capital letters mark the stressed beats.
“opposed” sound by sound
“opposed” is built out of 5 sounds. Say each one on its own first, slowly, then run them together at speed. Every sound links to a full guide with mouth position, the mistake learners make with it, and other words that use it.
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əDo almost nothing: leave the tongue in its neutral resting position, mouth slightly open, and make the shortest, weakest possible vowel.
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pPress both lips together, build up air behind them, then release with a puff of air (aspiration) when the sound starts a stressed syllable.
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oʊStart with mid-back, lightly rounded lips and glide toward /ʊ/, tightening the rounding as you finish.
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zExactly the /s/ tongue position with voicing added, so the airflow buzzes.
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dSame tongue position as /t/ — tip on the ridge behind the upper teeth — but voice the sound and release it without aspiration.
Words that rhyme with “opposed”
Same ending sound from the stressed vowel on — a good way to hear whether you have the vowel right:
Questions people ask about “opposed”
- How do you pronounce “opposed”?
- “opposed” is pronounced /əˈpoʊzd/, with the stress on the second syllable (poʊzd). Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “opposed”?
- “opposed” has 2 syllables: ə · poʊzd. The stress pattern is oO.
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