4 syllables: Ab, so, lute, ly. Stress on lute.
ab-suh-LOOT-lee
/ˌæbsəˈlutli/
Absolutely is pronounced ab-suh-LOOT-lee (/ˌæbsəˈlutli/). It has four syllables (Ab-so-lute-ly), with the stress on "lute". Absolutely is an adverb meaning completely or without exception. It also signals strong agreement or certainty. In usage, it often emphasizes adjectives or verbs, and can convey enthusiasm or finality in response or judgment. The pronunciation typically compresses two syllables in casual speech, yielding a brisk, emphatic delivery.
adverbAbsolutely is an adverb meaning completely or without exception. It also signals strong agreement or certainty. In usage, it often emphasizes adjectives or verbs, and can convey enthusiasm or finality in response or judgment. The pronunciation typically compresses two syllables in casual speech, yielding a brisk, emphatic delivery.
- Misplacing the primary stress on the first syllable (AB-so-lute-ly) instead of the second. This makes the word feel flat and hurried; to correct, practice with /ˌæb.səˈluːt.li/ and insist on a stronger second-syllable beat. - Inadequate vowel length in the /luːt/ portion; to fix, hold the /uː/ slightly longer and ensure the /t/ is not swallowed; practice by saying 'loo-t' slowly, then accelerate while maintaining the vowel length. - Fusing the ending /tli/ into a dull sound; keep the /t/ crisp and glide into /li/ with light contact, avoiding a heavy stop. Use a slowing drill: ab-suh-LOOT-lee, then speed up. - In connected speech, dropping or reducing the second schwa too much; maintain a near-full schwa in /sə/ to retain the word’s integrity in fast speech.
How to Pronounce Absolutely
"I absolutely agree with your plan."
"She was absolutely certain she left her keys on the counter."
"They absolutely refused to compromise on the terms."
Say ab-suh-LOOT-lee with primary stress on LOOT. IPA US: /ˌæb.səˈluːt.li/; UK/AU align closely: /ˌæb.səˈluːt.li/. Start with /æ/ as in cat, schwa in the second syllable, then /luː/ as in blue, ending with /t.li/ where the /l/ lightly transitions into a clear /i/. Emphasize the second syllable and keep the final /li/ quick. Audio cues: think 'ab-uh-LOOT-lee' and smooth the /sə/ into the strong /luː/.”,
Common errors: (1) Putting the stress on the first syllable (AB-so-lute-ly) which flattens the word; (2) Saying /əˈbʌluːt/ by mispronouncing as a short /u/ or misplacing the /t/ before the /l/. Correction: keep the primary stress on the second syllable: /ˌæb.səˈluːt.li/ and pronounce the /t/ clearly before the final /l/ or soften it to a light /t/ followed by /l/ without a heavy stop. Practice the sequence ab-suh-LOOT-lee, with the /ə/ reduced but present between /b/ and /l/.
US: stronger rhotics and a slightly shorter second syllable; UK: similar, but with tighter vowels and crisper /t/; AU: tends to be more vowel-laden in the second syllable and softer /t/; practice with IPA /ˌæb.səˈluːt.li/ and listen for a slightly longer /uː/ in UK and AU when stressed. Pay attention to linking: 'ab-suh-LOOT-lee' where /æ/ may be a bit tenser in US; in non-rhotic accents, the /r/ is not pronounced anyway, so the emphasis remains on LOOT.
It crosses several phonetic challenges: the multi-syllabic structure with a prominent second syllable stress; the long /uː/ in /luːt/ which requires a tight back-of-mouth posture; and the quick transition into /li/ after /t/. Coordinating alveolar/t-closure with the following lateral /l/ and the syllable-timed rhythm can trip you up, especially when connected to fast speech. Practice by isolating the /ˌæb/ onset, then the /səˈluːt/ nucleus before the final /li/.
There are no silent letters in absolutely. Every letter contributes to the syllable structure or the meaning. The challenge is mainly in the pronunciation of the schwa in the second syllable and the /luːt/ cluster, which demands a clear, sustained /uː/ before the /t/ and a crisp /l/ preceding the final /i/. Ensure you vocalize the /li/ at the end rather than letting it fade.
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- US: emphasize the /ˈluːt/ nucleus with a clear long /uː/ and a light /l/ cluster into /i/. The schwa in /sə/ should be quick but audible. IPA reference: /ˌæb.səˈluːt.li/. - UK: crisper /t/ amid non-rhoticity; keep /ˈluː/ as a rounded long vowel; the final /li/ should be fast but distinct. IPA: /ˌæb.səˈluːt.li/. - AU: slightly more vowel openness; pronounce /luː/ with a rounded, longer quality; ensure the ending /li/ remains clear. IPA: /ˌæb.səˈluːt.li/. - Common cross-accent differences include rhoticity, vowel length, and the tendency to elongate stressed vowels in Australian varieties.
Absolutely comes from the Latin absolutus, meaning loosened or unconstrained, which fed into the Old French absolu and then the medieval Latin absolūtus. The root abs- combined with -solutus, meaning freed or unbound, gave absolūtus as “loosened” or “unrestricted.” In English, absolutus evolved into absolute in the sense of complete or unconditional, and absolutely solidified as an adverbial form by the 18th century to stress degree or certainty. Its semantic progression mirrors a shift from “unrestricted” to “unquestionably true,” and today it functions as a versatile intensifier and emphatic response across formal and informal registers. First known uses appear in early modern English literary texts discussing certainty and completeness, expanding in modern usage to cover agreement, assurance, and enthusiastic endorsement across diverse contexts.
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Words that rhyme with "Absolutely"
-sly sounds
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