Abject describes a situation or condition that is extremely bad, miserable, or wretched. It conveys a sense of complete, humiliating or demeaning severity, often used to emphasize extreme poverty, failure, or degradation. The term carries a formal tone and is commonly found in literary or analytical contexts.
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US: keep rhoticity neutral in flanking vowels; UK: maintain crisp /t/ and slightly closer /ɛ/; AU: often flatter intonation and slightly broader vowels. IPA references: /ˈæb.dʒɛkt/. • Vowel space: /æ/ has a lower jaw position than /e/ or /ɛ/; allow the tongue to be low and forward for /æ/. • /dʒ/ as in 'judge' should be a single, rapid palato-alveolar affricate, not a j-sound. • /kt/ cluster should be tightly released; avoid stopping at /k/ or over-aspirating the /t/.
"The refugees lived in abject poverty, with little access to food or shelter."
"Her employer treated her with abject disrespect, which she ultimately resisted."
"The team faced abject failure after a string of injuries and poor strategy."
"He bowed his head in abject shame after the mistake was revealed."
Abject comes from Middle English abject, from Old French abject, from Latin abiectus, past participle of abicere ‘to throw away or away from’, from ab- ‘away’ + iacere ‘to throw’. The sense first attested in the 15th century was ‘cast off or thrown down’, later extending to figurative meanings of ‘cast down in spirit or status’ and ‘extremely bad or degraded’. Over time, abject broadened from physical throwing or casting away to describe conditions or states that are morally or socially degraded—poverty, suffering, or humiliation—connoting a complete or absolute degree. The form and semantics align with other Latin-derived adjectives ending in -ject, where the core idea is removal, rejection, or negation, culminating in a modern sense that emphasizes extreme negativity or degradation in abstract domains (poverty, circumstances, conditions) as well as moral judgment. The term entered common English literary and rhetorical usage in the early modern period, gaining traction in political and social critique to describe conditions or behaviors that are degrading or pitiable beyond ordinary measure.
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Words that rhyme with "abject"
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Pronounce it as AB-ject, with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US/UK/AU /ˈab.dʒɛkt/. The consonant cluster begins with a short open front vowel /æ/, followed by /b/ and a voiced postalveolar affricate /dʒ/ as in 'judge', then /ɛ/ as in 'pet', and ends with /kt/ where the /t/ is released; in fast speech the /t/ can be lightly released. Mouth position natural and steady, avoid turning the /dʒ/ into a simple /j/ sound.
Two common errors: (1) mispronouncing the /dʒ/ as /j/ or /d/ plus /z/, which reduces the distinct affricate; correct by producing a single movement from alveolar to palatal with a brief friction like in 'judge'. (2) Softening the final /t/ into a syllabic or silent consonant; keep a light aspiration on /t/ to avoid truncating the ending. Practice saying /ˈæb.dʒɛkt/ slowly, then speed up while maintaining the /dʒ/ and /kt/ release.
In US and UK, the primary stress remains on the first syllable /ˈæb.dʒɛkt/. US speakers may slightly lengthen the /æ/ in the first vowel; UK speakers may also diphthongize /ɛ/ as a calmer mid vowel depending on region. Australian speakers generally maintain the same segments but may have a flatter vowel quality in /æ/. All varieties keep the /dʒ/ sound as in 'judge', with a crisp /kt/ ending; rhoticity does not alter the word itself.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster /dʒkt/ after the open front vowel, requiring a quick transition from a voiced postalveolar affricate to a voiceless velar plosive with precise timing. Beginners often mispronounce /dʒ/ as /j/ or combine /kt/ with insufficient aspiration. Focusing on the tongue blade contact for /dʒ/ and the immediate release into /kt/ helps stabilize the sequence. Gentle, controlled practice makes the transition feel natural.
The most distinctive feature is the accurate production of the affricate /dʒ/ immediately followed by a crisp /kt/ release. This requires a small, quick tongue elevation to create the /dʒ/ friction, then a rapid move to the back of the mouth for /k/ and a brief /t/ release. Visualizing 'judge' followed by a hard 't' helps anchor the sequence; ensure the syllable boundary is heard as 'AB-ject' rather than a blended 'abjeckt'.
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