2 syllables: ad, dicts. Stress on dicts.
uh-DIKTS
/əˈdɪkts/
addicts is pronounced uh-DIKTS (/əˈdɪkts/). It has two syllables (ad-dicts), with the stress on "dicts". Addicts refers to people who are habitually dependent on a substance or activity, often to a compulsive or harmful extent. The term can describe individuals with addictions or a social group characterized by addictive behavior. It is used in formal and informal contexts to discuss substance use, psychology, or criminology, and typically carries a nuanced, evaluative tone depending on context.
Addicts refers to people who are habitually dependent on a substance or activity, often to a compulsive or harmful extent. The term can describe individuals with addictions or a social group characterized by addictive behavior. It is used in formal and informal contexts to discuss substance use, psychology, or criminology, and typically carries a nuanced, evaluative tone depending on context.
- You may insert a voiced vowel before the final consonant cluster, saying /ˈæd.ɪkɪdz/ instead of /ˈæd.ɪkts/. Fix: end with a clean /t/ and immediately /s/ with no voice in between. - Final consonant confusion: some learners merge /t/ with the following /s/ into /t s/ with a hard release; work on a light /t/ followed by a crisp /s/. - Vowel duration: the /æ/ should be short; avoid prolonging the first vowel. Practice with a clipped first syllable and quick onset to the /d/. - Stress misplacement: ensure primary stress on the first syllable; avoid shifting stress to the second syllable when answering questions. - Correction strategies: isolate the sibilant cluster; practice saying “cat’s skin” or “that kids” to tune the /t/ + /s/ timing. Use a slow tempo, then speed up while maintaining accuracy. Visualize mouth positions: bottom lip lightly touching upper teeth for /d/ and tip of tongue to alveolar ridge for /t/.
"The group of addicts in the study showed higher rates of relapse after treatment."
"He argued that addicts deserve compassionate support rather than stigma."
"The rehab program targeted addicts with a tailored approach to both physical and mental health needs."
Pronounce as /ˈæd.ɪkts/. The first syllable is stressed. Start with a short open front vowel /æ/ as in “cat,” then a quick /d/ release, followed by a short /ɪ/ as in “kit,” and finish with /kts/ where the tongue slices to /t/ and immediately releases into /s/. Tip: keep the /t/ light and avoid a strong /t/ release that blends with the /s/. Audio reference: common dictionary entries provide US/UK alignments; you’ll hear the same /ˈæd.ɪkts/ across accents with minor vowel timing differences.
Common errors: 1) Slurring the /t/ or turning /t/ into a /d/ in the final cluster, producing /ˈædɪkz/ or /ˈædɪks/. 2) Misplacing stress, saying /ˈædɪkts/ with even stress on syllables. 3) Lengthening the final /s/ or releasing it too strongly. Correction: keep final /ts/ as a crisp, voiceless cluster; practice by saying ‘cats’ with a similar ending, then blend into /ˈæd.ɪkts/ without extra voicing. Include quick, light t-release before /s/.
US: /ˈæd.ɪkts/ with a clear /æ/ and a crisp /t/ before /s/. UK: /ˈæd.ɪkts/ or /ˈæd.ɪkts/ with slightly shorter vowels and reduced r-less rhoticity not affecting this word. Australia: /ˈæd.ɪkts/, similar to US but with often more clipped vowels and less emphasis on final /s/. Overall, all share /æ/ in first syllable, tense /ɪ/ in second, and /kts/ cluster; differences are vowel length and potential subtle vowel quality differences.
It’s the /ɪ/ followed by a sharp /k/ before a voiceless /ts/ cluster that challenges non-native speakers. The final cluster /kts/ requires precise timing: release the /k/ then immediately consonantize into /ts/ without voicing. The first syllable also has a stressed schwa-like transition from /æ/ to /d/ that can blur if you’re not careful. Focus on a clean /æ/ to /d/ to /ɪ/ sequence and crisp /kts/ release.
Key unique aspect is the exact final consonant cluster /kts/ which is less common in many languages. Users often search for “how to pronounce addicts” to nail the crisp /k/ release immediately followed by /ts/. Emphasize the quick transition from /t/ to /s/ without voicing, and ensure the /æ/ in the first syllable is short. This specificity helps SEO by targeting the exact phoneme sequence and rhythm of the word.
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- US: clear /æ/ in the first syllable, /d/ with a quick release, /ɪ/ as a short lax vowel, and /k/ followed by /ts/ without voice. Rhoticity is not a factor here; keep the final /s/ unvoiced. - UK: similar sequence; slight reduction in vowel duration; keep final cluster crisp; not rolled or tapped. - AU: often more clipped vowel length; maintain /æ/ as short; emphasize non-rhotic nature but word doesn’t involve r anyway; ensure /t/ is not flapped; keep /s/ voiceless. IPA references: US /ˈæd.ɪkts/, UK /ˈæd.ɪkts/, AU /ˈæd.ɪkts/. - Common pitfalls: over-voicing the /t/ or elongating the /æ/. - Practice tip: place a finger on your throat to verify voicing for /d/ is present, but no voice for /t/ and /s/.
Addict derives from the Latin addictus, past participle of adigere meaning to bind or to impel, from ad- (toward) + figurare (to fasten). In late Middle English, addictus entered via Old French addict, with the sense of binding by guilt or obligation. By the 17th century, addiction shifted to a more medical/behavioral sense, describing physical or psychological dependence on substances or activities. The modern sense—habitual dependence with compulsive engagement—emerged in the 19th and 20th centuries, particularly in medical and social welfare contexts as theories of addiction broadened beyond legal or moral judgments. The plural addicts appears in parallel with singular addict, used to describe individuals who are addicted. First known uses appear in medical and legal writings in the 18th–19th centuries as discussions about “a person addicted to a substance” became common; the term gained everyday usage with the rise of addiction studies and public health discourse in the 20th century.
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Words that rhyme with "addicts"
-cts sounds
-cks sounds
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