Adjudicate is a verb meaning to make an official judgment or decision about a dispute or problem after consideration of the facts. It involves applying rules or standards to determine an outcome, often in a formal or legal setting. The process may include evaluating evidence, interpreting regulations, and rendering a binding decision.
- You will benefit from targeted practice on three areas: the second-syllable heavy stress, the /dʒuː/ cluster, and the final /keɪt/. You’ll hear a slight delay before the /dʒ/ release; stay relaxed to avoid adding extra vowels. - Focus on keeping the schwa in the first syllable neutral and then launching into /ˈdʒuː/ with a clean, rounded vowel for /uː/. - Ensure you pronounce the final /t/ crisply; don’t let the tone drop into /d/. - Work through a few short phrases like “adjudicate the dispute” and “adjudicate the appeal” to embed natural rhythm.
- US: emphasize rhoticity subtly; keep /r/ minimal or non-rhotic depending on speaker. Vowel sounds: /ə/ is reduced, /əˈdʒuː.dɪ.keɪt/ with strong /uː/ and clear /keɪt/. - UK: often crisper /t/ at end; /ɪ/ in /dɪ/ slightly tenser. - AU: similar to UK/US but with flatter intonation; keep final /t/ audible. IPA references: US /əˈdʒuː.dɪ.keɪt/, UK /əˈdʒuː.dɪ.keɪt/, AU /əˈdʒuː.dɪ.keɪt/.
"The panel will adjudicate the appeal and issue a ruling by Friday."
"Courts often adjudicate civil disputes between neighbors."
"The referee was asked to adjudicate the foul play during the game."
"University committees adjudicate student conduct cases according to the code of ethics."
Adjudicate comes from the Latin adjudicatus, the past participle of adjudicare, meaning to judge or pronounce a decision. This is a compound of ad- (toward, to) and judicare (to judge), from iudex ‘judge’ which itself comes from iudicium ‘a judgment’ or ‘a decision.’ The term entered English via legal and formal contexts in the late medieval period, aligning with its use in courts and tribunals. Over time, adjudicate broadened from strictly legal verdicts to any formal decision-making process in administrative, organizational, or quasi-judicial settings. The word retains strong associations with impartiality, process, and rule-based outcomes, rather than mere opinion. First known use in English citations appears in the 15th- to 16th-century legal documents, evolving in meaning as legal systems and administrative adjudication practices developed across Europe and later in the English-speaking world. Contemporary usage often emphasizes procedural fairness and standardized criteria in decision-making across diverse domains, including sports, employment, and education.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Adjudicate" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Adjudicate" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Adjudicate"
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Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronunciation: /əˈdʒuː.dɪ.keɪt/ (uh-JOO-di-kayt). The primary stress is on the second syllable: djū as in 'joo' with a long u sound, followed by /dɪ/ (short i) and /keɪt/ (kayt). Start with a schwa on the first syllable, then a clear, rounded /uː/ in the second. Finish with a crisp /dɪ/ and a long /eɪt/. Mouth: relaxed jaw, lips slightly rounded for /uː/, tongue high and toward the postalveolar region for /dʒ/, then tip of tongue to the alveolar ridge for /d/, final glide to /eɪt/.
Common mistakes: 1) Stress misplaced on the first syllable (a-DJU-di-cat-e) — fix by emphasizing the second syllable: /əˈdʒuː.dɪ.keɪt/. 2) Slurring /dʒuː/ into a hard /dʒ/ or mispronouncing /kj/ as /k/ + /eɪt/; ensure the /dʒ/ follows a clear long /uː/ sound. 3) Dropping the final /t/ or turning it into /d/: pronounce the final /t/ clearly as /t/ in /-keɪt/. Visual cue: keep the jaw steady and stop briefly before the final /t/.
Across accents: US and UK share /əˈdʒuː.dɪ.keɪt/ with primary stress on the second syllable. US tends to have a slightly longer /uː/ and a sharper /t/ at the end, while UK may show a marginally clipped /t/ and a slightly shorter /ɪ/ in the third syllable. Australian speakers generally match the UK/US pattern but may exhibit a less pronounced rhoticity; the /ɜː/ in unstressed positions is rare here, keeping the final syllable crisp as /keɪt/. Overall, the vowel quality in /dʒuː/ remains tense across dialects.
Key challenges: the cluster /dʒuː/ after a schwa can be slippery; ensure the long /uː/ does not reduce into /u/ or /ʊ/. The sequence /dʒuː.dɪ/ requires careful timing; the alveolar /d/ after /uː/ should be released cleanly, not as /du/ or /dʒu/. Final /keɪt/ demands a crisp /t/ and no voicing. Practice with a slow pace to lock the stress on /ˈdʒuː/ and then accelerate.
This word uniquely combines a stressed second syllable with a soft initial schwa and a strong final /keɪt/. The /dʒ/ sound immediately after the schwa requires precise tongue position; many speakers substitute /dʒu/ with /duː/ or misplace the stress, leading to a jumbled rhythm. Focus on the alternation of a long /uː/** and a crisp /dɪ/ as you move into /keɪt/.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "Adjudicate"!
- Shadowing: listen to a 30-second clip and imitate the rhythm, focus on the stressed /ˈdʒuː/ and the crisp /t/. - Minimal pairs: adjudicate vs. adjudicated (note the extra syllable; practice rhythm and final /d/ sound). adjudicate vs. adjudicate? (for a simpler pair, ‘judge’ vs. ‘adjudicate’). - Rhythm: practice 4-beat pattern: a-dju-di-ca-te with even tempo; gradually speed up to natural pace. - Stress practice: isolate /ˈdʒuː/ and practice full word; ensure stable stress position. - Recording: record yourself saying the sentence “The panel will adjudicate the dispute” and compare with a model.
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