Accented is an adjective meaning provided with or characterized by an accent, or emphasized in speech or marking. It often describes vowels or syllables that carry distinctive stress or tone, or something marked to show emphasis in writing. In context, it can also denote influence from a regional or foreign pronunciation, making speech sound particular or marked.
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"Her accented pronunciation gave away her regional origin."
"The poet used accented syllables to create a rhythmic, emphatic effect."
"The sign was accented in bold to emphasize the warning."
"In the recording, the words were lightly accented to fit the song’s meter."
Accented derives from the past participle of the verb accent, from Middle English acenten, derived from Old French accenter, from Latin accentus, from ad- ‘toward’ + cantus ‘song, tune, singing’. The Latin cantus refers to singing and the rising and falling of pitch, which over time broadened to encompass emphasis in pronunciation and marked syllables. In medieval and Renaissance linguistics, “accent” referred to the beat or stress in a line, with “accented” used for syllables or words that receive prominence. The term broadened in the 16th–18th centuries to describe foreign or regional pronunciation features (a speaker’s accent) and later, orthographic emphasis (accent marks) in writing. Today, accented primarily signals marked emphasis in speech or text and can describe vowels with distinctive features, such as vowel quality changes that signal a dialectal influence. The word’s semantic drift—from aural emphasis to visual marking (accent marks)—reflects the broader concept of prominence in language, including prosody and orthography, across English-speaking traditions.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "accented" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "accented" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "accented"
-ted sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as /ˈæk.sɛn.tɪd/. The primary stress is on the first syllable: ACC-sen-ted. Start with the open front unrounded vowel /æ/ as in “cat,” then /ˈæk/ with a crisp short a, followed by /sɛn/ where /e/ is a mid-front vowel, and finish with /tɪd/ where the t is a light stop and the final /d/ voices. Mouth: lips spread lightly, tongue high-front for the first vowel, then neutral for /s/ and /ɛn/, ends with a light /d/. You’ll hear clear syllabic emphasis on “AC.” IPA reference: US/UK/AU share /ˈæk.sɛn.tɪd/. Audio examples: try Cambridge or Oxford dictionaries with listen option.
Common errors include misplacing stress (pronouncing as ac-CEN-ted or acce-NTed), blending the second and third syllables (/ˈækˌsɛn.tɪd/), and softening the final /t/ or not voicing the /d/. Correction: keep primary stress on the first syllable /ˈæk/ and enunciate /ˈæk.sɛn.tɪd/ with a crisp /t/ followed by a voiced /d/. Practice with minimal pairs (accented vs. accented) to feel where the energy belongs. Use slow practice, pause between syllables, and record to check rhythm.
In US, UK, and AU, the main vowel sounds are close: /æ/ in /ˈæk/ remains similar, but vowel length and quality can vary slightly due to rhoticity and intonation. The /ˈæk/ onset tends to be slightly more determinate in careful speech. The /tɪd/ ending may reduce to a flap in rapid US speech (like ‘-dd’), while UK and AU typically keep a crisp /t/ followed by /ɪd/. Overall, the primary stress stays on the first syllable in all three, with minor vowel shifts and pace differences.
The difficulty comes from the crisp, short /æ/ in a stressed syllable and the tentative combination /ˈækˌsɛn.tɪd/ that can invite linking or rushing in fluent speech. Learners often misplace the primary stress or soften /t/ or /d/ in rapid speech, making /tɪd/ blend with preceding consonants. Focus on the steady /æ/ vowel, the clear /s/ before /ɛ/, and a precise dental/alveolar stop /t/ before a voiced /d/. Slow practice with IPA helps anchor accurate articulation.
There are no silent letters in accented. All letters contribute to pronunciation: 'a' (æ), 'c' (k sound /k/ as in ‘cat’ before accent position), 'c' again as /s/ in the second syllable cluster, 'e' as /ɛ/, 'n' /n/, 't' /t/, and 'e' as /ɪ/ in the penultimate position, ending with /d/. The rhythm emphasizes the first syllable, and every letter helps shape the crisp, syllabic pattern. Remember: stress-first, then pronounce all consonants clearly.
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