3 syllables: Ac, com, plish. Stress on com.
uh-KAHM-plish
/əˈkɑmplɪʃ/
Accomplish is pronounced uh-KAHM-plish (/əˈkɑmplɪʃ/). It has three syllables (Ac-com-plish), with the stress on "com". Accomplish is a transitive verb meaning to achieve a desired aim or result through effort or skill. It implies completing a task successfully and often carries a sense of overcoming obstacles. In everyday use, it signals reaching or fulfilling an objective, plan, or duty.
verbAccomplish is a transitive verb meaning to achieve a desired aim or result through effort or skill. It implies completing a task successfully and often carries a sense of overcoming obstacles. In everyday use, it signals reaching or fulfilling an objective, plan, or duty.
- Common Mistake 1: Misplacing the primary stress on the first syllable (ac-COM-plish). Correction: keep stress on the second syllable and pronounce the first with a light schwa. - Common Mistake 2: Blurring the /m/ and /p/ into a weak /mp/ transition. Correction: clearly separate /m/ and /p/ with a brief hold between them and avoid a rushed /mp/ blend. - Common Mistake 3: Final /ʃ/ pronounced as /s/ or /tʃ/. Correction: produce a clean /ʃ/ with rounded lips and a soft emphasis, not a whistled or sibilant ending. - Practical tip: practice the sequence ac-COM-pliSH slowly, then gradually speed up while maintaining accurate articulation. Use a mirror to confirm mouth positions and record yourself for feedback.
"She finally accomplished her goal of running a marathon."
"The team accomplished the project ahead of schedule."
"He accomplished the feat despite significant challenges."
Pronounce it as /əˈkɒm.plɪʃ/ in UK/AU or /əˈkɑːm.plɪʃ/ in US English. The stress is on the second syllable. Start with a schwa in the first syllable, then a stressed open back vowel for ’co’, followed by /m/ and a softened /plɪʃ/ ending. Listen for the subtle /m/ to /p/ transition between the consonants and keep the final /ʃ/ clear, not a /s/ or /t/. Audio reference: you can hear the rhythm in standard pronunciation tutorials.
Common mistakes include saying /ˈæ.kɒn.plɪʃ/ with an extra syllable or misplacing stress on the first syllable (a-COM-plish). Another pitfall is turning the /k/ into a hard /g/ in fast speech, and blending /pl/ with a vague /l/ so the /pl/ becomes a weak cluster. Correct by stressing the second syllable, ensuring the /k/ is hard but not excessively forceful, and articulating the /pl/ cluster crisply before the final /ɪʃ/.
In US English, the second syllable carries primary stress with a broad /ɒ/ or /ɑː/ depending on speaker, followed by /mplɪʃ/. UK English typically uses /ˈæk.ɒm.plɪʃ/ or /əˈkɒm.plɪʃ/ with a shorter /æ/ or schwa in the first syllable; rhoticity is less pronounced. Australian English tends to the UK pattern with a clearer /æ/ or /ə/ in the first syllable and a gentle /lɪʃ/ ending. The main differences involve vowel quality in the first two syllables and the presence or absence of rhotic r coloring.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster /mpl/ after the vowel and the vowel quality in the second syllable. The transition from /k/ to /m/ to /pl/ requires precise timing to avoid a weak or blurred blend. The /ʃ/ at the end must be clean, not softened to /tʃ/ or /s/. Also, the stress pattern on the second syllable can be tricky for non-native speakers, so practicing the rhythm helps.
Is there a silent letter in 'Accomplish'? No; all letters contribute phonetic value: the second syllable contains the clear /ɒ/ or /ɑː/ and the final /ʃ/. The word’s uniqueness lies in the /mpl/ cluster after the stressed vowel, requiring tight articulation between /m/ and /pl/. Understanding that the form is derived from Latin roots helps you recall the sequence of sounds: a-COM- plishe.
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-US vs UK vs AU: In US, you’ll often hear a more pronounced /ɑː/ or /ɒ/ depending on region, with rhotic r coloring minimal in the final syllable; in UK, the first syllable may be /æ/ with a short /ɒ/ in the second, and non-rhotic tendencies make the /r/ absent. In AU, vowels tend to be broader and move toward /æ/ or /ɒ/ depending on speaker; the /ɪ/ in the final syllable is short. IPA references: US /əˈkɑːm.plɪʃ/, UK /əˈkɒm.plɪʃ/ or /ˈæk.ɒm.plɪʃ/, AU /əˈkɒm.plɪʃ/. Maintain the /pl/ cluster clearly and watch for rhoticity differences in US speech.
Accomplish comes from the Old French accomplir, from a combination of ad- (toward) + accomplir (to fill up, to complete), ultimately from Latin ad- (toward) and complījum, a form related to complete. The sense broadened in Middle English to mean to bring to completion or to carry out a task. In earlier usage, it could imply fulfilling duties with thoroughness, but over time it shifted toward the modern sense of successfully achieving a goal. The word travels through Norman influence into English, paralleling related terms such as complete, accomplish, and accomplishment. The modern spelling stabilised in the 16th century, aligning with the verb accomplish and its noun form accomplishment, indicating the act or result of completing something.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Accomplish" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Accomplish" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Accomplish"
-ish sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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