Accords is the noun form of accord, meaning formal agreements or harmonious arrangements. In plural, it typically refers to multiple agreements or harmonies, especially in political or legal contexts. The term conveys official consent or a harmonious alignment of terms among parties, often used in formal discourse and historical writing.
US & AU accents are Premium
Unlock all accent variations
US: rhotic /r/ is pronounced; vowel tends to be /ɔ/ or /ɔr/ with a slight r-coloring in some speakers. UK/AU: non-rhotic tendency; /r/ is not pronounced before consonants; the vowel often sounds like /ɔː/ in stressed syllable. IPA: US /əˈkɔrdz/, UK/AU /əˈkɔːdz/. - Vowel length and quality: UK/AU speakers often have a longer /ɔː/; US tends to a shorter /ɔ/ with r-coloring. - Final consonant: keep the /z/ voiced, don’t devoicing or blending into /s/.
"The accords signed at the treaty conference established lasting cooperation between the nations."
"Civil and social accords aim to reduce tension and promote fair policies."
"Vocal music pieces are performed in accord with the conductor’s tempo and expression."
"The two states reached accords on trade, though details remain to be negotiated."
Accords derives from Old French acord, meaning harmony, agreement, or consent, from the Latin concord-, concors, meaning ‘with heart’ or ‘together in harmony’ (con- ‘together’ + cor, cordis ‘heart’). The English form evolved through Middle English as accorde and accorde, widening to include both political agreements and a sense of harmony or conformity. The plural accords emerged to denote multiple agreements or harmonies and became common in legal, diplomatic, and literary contexts. The word has long maritime and treaty associations (e.g., trade accords) shaping its formal tone. First attested in Middle English in the 13th–14th centuries, accords gained traction in formal writing during the 16th–18th centuries as nations negotiated treaties, compacts, and social covenants. In modern usage, accords often pair with adjectives like “mutual” or “binding,” and with nouns like “told,” “terms,” or “principles,” emphasizing formal agreement and alignment rather than casual harmony.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "accords" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "accords" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "accords" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "accords"
-rds sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
Pronounce as ə-KORDZ with stress on the second syllable. IPA US/UK/AU: /əˈkɔrdz/ (US) and /əˈkɔːdz/ (UK/AU). Start with a schwa syllable, then a strong rhotic /kɔrk/-like nucleus, and end with a voiced 'z' (/z/). Mouth: relaxed initial, open-mid back vowel in the stressed syllable, rounding for the /ɔ/ as in 'caught' depending on your accent, and a clear alveolar /d/ before the final /z/.
Common errors: (1) Misplacing stress by saying /ˈæk-ordz/ with stress on first syllable; (2) Slurring the /ɔr/ into a simple /ɔ/ or /or/ sequence, producing /ə-kɔrdz/ without the vowel quality; (3) Voicing issue at the end where speakers drop the final /z/ or make it sound like /s/. Correction: keep the secondary stress on the second syllable, use a clear /ɔr/ nucleus in stressed syllable, and voice the final /z/ as a soft buzzing consonant. Practice with minimal pairs like /kɔrdz/ vs /kɔːdz/ to tune vowel length and final voicing.
US tends to have /əˈkɔrdz/ with rhotic /r/ and a slightly tighter /ɔ/; UK and AU often realize the /ɔː/ in the stressed syllable, giving /əˈkɔːdz/ with a longer vowel and less pronounced /r/ in non-rhotic regions. The final /z/ remains voiced across all. Practice focusing on the vowel length in the /ɔː/ region for UK/AU, and ensure the /r/ is pronounced in American English but not overly pronounced in non-rhotic accents.
The difficulty lies in the diphthongal or pure vowel quality of the stressed /ɔ/ vowel and the final voiced /z/ following a stop consonant. For non-native speakers, the challenge is maintaining a clear /k/ onset after the schwa and producing a crisp /d/ before /z/ without adding an extra syllable or hissy overshoot. Focus on the transition from the schwa to /ɔ/ and the rapid, voiced /dz/ cluster at the end.
No silent letters here, but the cluster /kɔrdz/ can mislead learners to drop the /r/ in non-rhotic accents or to voice the final /z/ too softly. The key is a precise /k/ release, a strong /ɔ/ or /ɔː/ depending on the accent, and a clearly voiced /z/. Remember: stress the second syllable, don’t reduce the /r/ in rhotic accents, and articulate the /d/ before the final /z/.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "accords"!
No related words found
