5 syllables: ad, di, tion, al, ly. Stress on di.
uh-DISH-uh-nuhl-ee
/əˈdɪʃəˌnʌli/
additionally is pronounced uh-DISH-uh-nuhl-ee (/əˈdɪʃəˌnʌli/). It has five syllables (ad-di-tion-al-ly), with the stress on "di". Additionally is an adverb meaning ‘in addition; also’ and is used to introduce extra information or an important supplement to what has been said. It often appears at the start or within a sentence to add another point, and it carries a formal, connective tone suitable for written and careful spoken language.
Additionally is an adverb meaning ‘in addition; also’ and is used to introduce extra information or an important supplement to what has been said. It often appears at the start or within a sentence to add another point, and it carries a formal, connective tone suitable for written and careful spoken language.
- Typical consonant clarity issues: final -ly can be heard as /li/ with a too-strong /i/ or as /li/ with a heavily stressed final syllable, which muddies the second syllable stress. Correction: keep the final -ly light and quick, so the main stress remains on /ˈdɪʃ/. - Vowel reductions: in rapid speech, students reduce /ə/ into a shorter schwa and may flatten /ɪ/ to a lax vowel; this weakens the central rhythm. Correction: hold a precise /ə/ before /ˈdɪ/ then clearly articulate /ɪ/; don’t skip the second syllable entirely. - Stress misplacement: many say ad-DISH-en‑uh-lee; correct approach is ad-DI-shuh-nuh-lee with primary stress on the second syllable. Correction: practice with listening drills and minimal pairs that emphasize the /ˈdɪʃ/ chunk.
"We will update the report next week, and additionally, we will publish the methodology in detail."
"The plan includes a budget review; additionally, there will be a risk assessment."
"She is skilled in data analysis and, additionally, can design effective data visualizations."
You say /əˈdɪʃənəli/. Start with a weak schwa /ə/, then a stressed /ˈdɪ/ as in ‘did’, followed by /ʃə/ (like ‘shuh’), then /nə/ (neutral ‘nuh’), and finally /li/ with a light /i/ vowel. The primary stress is on the second syllable: ad-DISH-uh-nuh-lee. Keep the /d/ clear and avoid tacking extra vowels. Listening to the rhythm helps: a-dish-uh-na-lee, with a clean break before the final -ly.
Two frequent errors: (1) stressing the wrong syllable (often saying ad-DI-shuh-nuh-lee or ad-dish-EN-uh-lee); (2) mispronouncing the /ʃ/ as /s/ or /tʃ/ or slurring the /ən/ into a single syllable. Correction: keep the second syllable stressed with /ˈdɪʃ/ and pronounce the sequence as ə-ˈdɪʃ-ə-nə-lɪ, ensuring the /ʃ/ is the voice-appropriate palatal fricative, not a sibilant fronting. Practice slowing to clearly articulate /dɪ/ and /ʃə/ before the /n/ and final /li/. Finally, avoid over-stressing the final -ly; let the emphasis stay on the second syllable.
In US, UK, and AU, the core sequence /əˈdɪʃənəli/ remains, but vowel qualities shift. US English often has a rhotic influence on surrounding vowels in connected speech and a slightly flatter /ɪ/; UK tends toward crisper /ɪ/ and a clearer /ə/ before /dɪ/. Australian tends to a higher, more centralized /ə/ and often a softer /l/ at the end. The /ɪ/ in /dɪ/ is usually close to a short ‘i’ sound in all, but diphthongs around may lead to subtle shifts: /əˈdɪʃə næli/ in very rapid speech, and slight vowel reduction in casual speech. Nevertheless, stress remains on 'DISH'. Practice by listening to regional speakers and mimic their rhythm while maintaining the required stress pattern.
Three main challenges: (1) maintaining the multi-syllable rhythm with four clear syllables; (2) keeping the second syllable stressed while the surrounding vowels may reduce in rapid speech; and (3) pronouncing the /ʃə/ cluster cleanly without turning it into /ʃə-nə/ or blending it with neighboring sounds. The combination /dɪʃə/ can blend if you rush. Focus on a crisp /d/ stop, a clear /ɪ/ followed by a strong /ʃ/ and /ə/ before /nə/, and a final light /li/. IPA anchors help you preserve the rhythm even when speaking quickly.
A unique consideration is maintaining the adverbial prosody with emphasis on the second syllable in connected speech. Misplaced emphasis can make the sentence sound as if you’re listing adjectives or misplacing the adverb’s role. Additionally often links with verbs and clauses more than adjectives, so practice sentence-level prosody: ensure the following phrase attaches smoothly via liaison without losing the primary stress on /ˈdɪʃ/. Using a short pause before 'additionally' in formal contexts can help maintain clarity and emphasis.
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- US: emphasize the second syllable /ˈdɪʃ/ with a clear /d/ and trailing /ənəli/. The vowels tend toward a crisp insular quality; keep the /ə/ before /ˈdɪ/ light. - UK: crisper vowel quality, still stress on /ˈdɪʃ/; watch non-rhotic linking in connected speech; try to minimize intrusive schwas in fast speech. - AU: more centralized /ə/ and sometimes a slightly higher intonation on the final syllables; ensure the /l/ is light and not rolled. Breathe before the word to maintain the stress and trust your mouth to hold the /dɪʃ/ cluster firmly.
Additionally comes from the late 15th century English phrase add in + -ly, connected to the adjective ‘additional’. The root word is add, from Latin addere meaning ‘to give, place to, attach’ (ad- ‘toward’ + dare ‘to give’). Over time, English speakers extended the form to ‘additional’ (adjective) and adverbial '-ly' to express adding information. The semantic shift centers on the idea of attaching more content to a discourse; by the 16th–17th centuries, ‘additionally’ appeared as a standard adverb in formal writing to introduce an extra point. Its usage was reinforced through legal, academic, and rhetorical registers where precision and the sequencing of arguments are important. Today, additional occurrences are common in professional correspondence, publications, and speeches, where a precise connective sense is needed to guide listeners through a chain of claims.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "additionally" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "additionally"
-lly sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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