3 syllables: A, bid, ing. Stress on bid.
uh-BEYE-ding
/əˈbaɪdɪŋ/
Abiding is pronounced uh-BEYE-ding (/əˈbaɪdɪŋ/). It has three syllables (A-bid-ing), with the stress on "bid". Abiding describes a lasting or enduring quality or condition, often indicating permanence or constancy. It can refer to a steadfast trait or to a law, obligation, or influence that remains in effect over time. In usage, it frequently emphasizes persistence beyond particular circumstances or moments.
adjectiveAbiding describes a lasting or enduring quality or condition, often indicating permanence or constancy. It can refer to a steadfast trait or to a law, obligation, or influence that remains in effect over time. In usage, it frequently emphasizes persistence beyond particular circumstances or moments.
- You often misplace stress on the first syllable (a-BID-ing). To fix, rehearse with the second-syllable emphasis until you feel a natural groove. - The /aɪ/ diphthong can slide into a lax /ɪ/ or /ə/; practice the clear rise from /a/ to /ɪ/ and hover around the nucleus before the /d/; slow it down in drills. - Final /ŋ/ can be lost as a 'ding' or 'din'; ensure the tongue releases into the velar nasal without a hard stop. - Link from /d/ to /ŋ/ with a smooth, voiced–nasal transition, not a strong consonant break.
"Her abiding love for her family never faded, no matter where life took her."
"The judge's abiding duty is to uphold justice impartially."
"They spoke of their abiding commitment to environmental stewardship."
Pronounce it as ə-BY-ding with primary stress on the second syllable. IPA: US: əˈbaɪd.ɪŋ; UK: əˈbaɪd.ɪŋ; AU: əˈbaɪd.ɪŋ. Start with a schwa in the first syllable, then a strong /aɪ/ diphthong in the second syllable, ending with a clear /d/ plus nasal /ŋ/. Imagine saying 'a-BY-ding' where 'BY' rhymes with 'high' and 'I' in that syllable is long. Audio guidance: listen to native speakers on reputable dictionaries to hear the rhythm and final nasal.
Common errors: (1) Moving stress to the first syllable (a-BID-ing) or making the second syllable weak. (2) Mispronouncing the diphthong /aɪ/ as a plain /a/ or /eɪ/. (3) Dropping the final nasal: 'abidin' or 'abidin'' without the /ŋ/. Correction tips: keep primary stress on the second syllable, produce a clear /aɪ/ as in 'buy,' extend it slightly, and finish with a distinct /ŋ/ closure. Practicing in a three-syllable rhythm helps; use a slight linking from /d/ to /ŋ/ rather than a hard stop.
US: stress on the second syllable; rhoticity affects preceding /r/-like quality when connected speech, otherwise /əˈbaɪ.dɪŋ/. UK: non-rhotic; /əˈbaɪ.dɪŋ/ with a crisper /d/ and slightly shorter vowels. AU: similar to UK but with broader vowels and a more pronounced /ɪŋ/ at the end; the first syllable remains schwa; pitch and intonation can be more melodious. In all variants, the /aɪ/ diphthong and the final /ŋ/ are key markers; avoid a monosyllabic 'abiding' by preserving the secondary stress quality and the /d/–/ɪŋ/ transition.
The challenge lies in the two-stress pattern for a two-syllable core plus a trailing nasal; the /aɪ/ diphthong in the stressed syllable must be precise, not reduced to /ə/ or /ɪ/. The transition from the /d/ to the final /ŋ/ requires careful timing to avoid an alveolar stop or a soft nasal. Rapid speech can blur the /d/ and /ŋ/, so practicing slow, then accelerating while keeping the /aɪ/ steady helps. IPA cues: əˈbaɪ.dɪŋ with clear /aɪ/ and /ŋ/.
The distinctive mid-word diphthong /aɪ/ in a non-lexical environment and the final velar nasal /ŋ/ pair with a relatively weak first syllable. The blend of a schwa starting syllable and the prominent /aɪ/ in the second syllable, followed by /d/ before /ɪŋ/, creates a recognizable rhythm that can be confused with similar adjectives like 'abiding' vs 'abidingly' contexts. Ensure primary stress on the second syllable for naturalness.
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US: Rhoticity is less pronounced in careful speech; keep /ɹ/ subtle when connected; vowel sounds tend to be more centralized in rapid speech. UK: Non-rhotic; ensure /ɒ/ vs /ɔː/ distinctions in related words do not color /aɪ/; AU: Flat but clear vowels; maintain /aɪ/ as a crisp diphthong. IPA cues: US /əˈbaɪd.ɪŋ/; UK /əˈbaɪd.ɪŋ/; AU /əˈbaɪd.ɪŋ/. Focus on keeping the /aɪ/ stable and the final /ŋ/ velar nasal distinct. - Use minimal pairs to tune rhoticity and vowel quality across accents.
Abiding comes from the verb abide, which dates to Old English abidan, from the Proto-Germanic *abidaną, meaning 'to remain, endure, wait.' The element ab- is a prefix meaning 'toward' or 'away,' while bidan is related to the idea of waiting or remaining. Over the centuries, abide broadened from the sense of 'wait' or 'remain' to the adjective form abiding, conveying ongoing, persistent existence. In Middle English, abiding appeared in phrases like 'abiding friend' or 'abiding law' to describe something that lasts beyond a single moment. The modern sense emphasizes constancy and permanence, as in 'an abiding principle' or 'an abiding memory.' First known uses occur in religious and legal contexts, where permanence and fidelity are central. Today, abiding as an adjective is common in formal and literary registers, often paired with abstract nouns (principle, love, obligation). Its durability connotation remains the core thread across eras, preserving the sense of steadfastness through time.
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Words that rhyme with "Abiding"
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