3 syllables: a, dop, tion. Stress on dop.
uh-DAHP-shuhn
/əˈdɑpʃən/
adoption is pronounced uh-DAHP-shuhn (/əˈdɑpʃən/). It has three syllables (a-dop-tion), with the stress on "dop". Adoption is the act or process of legally taking another's child into one's family and raising them as one's own. It can also refer to choosing or starting to use something, such as an idea or method. The term carries formal, legal, and social implications and implies a permanent, recognized change in parentage or practice.
Adoption is the act or process of legally taking another's child into one's family and raising them as one's own. It can also refer to choosing or starting to use something, such as an idea or method. The term carries formal, legal, and social implications and implies a permanent, recognized change in parentage or practice.
"The couple pursued international adoption after years of trying to start a family."
" Many companies are adopting flexible work policies to improve employee well-being."
" The committee voted in favor of the adoption of the new recycling program."
Break it into syllables: a-DOP-tion. Primary stress on the second syllable. IPA: US /əˈdɒp.ʃən/, UK /əˈdɒp.ʃən/, AU /əˈdɒp.ʃən/. Start with a schwa, then a strong DOP as in 'dop,' followed by a soft 'shən' for -tion. Ensure the 't' is clear but not explosive, leaning toward a soft alveolar 't' before the 'ɪən' sequence. You’ll want the mouth to open slightly for the schwa and then tighten for the /dɒp/ before the /ʃən/ cluster.
Two main errors: (1) misplacing the stress, saying a-DOP-tion or ad-OP-tion; (2) replacing /ɒ/ with /æ/ or mispronouncing the /ʃ/ as /s/. Correction: keep the second syllable with primary stress and a clear /ɒ/ as in 'cot,' then move into /pʃən/ with a light /ʃ/ and a short, unstressed final /ən/. Practice with minimal pairs like ‘adopt’ vs. ‘adoption’ to feel the shift from verb to noun form.
US/UK/AU share the /əˈdɒp.ʃən/ skeleton, but vowel lengths differ: US often uses a slightly flatter /ɒ/ in rhotic contexts and a more pronounced /ə/ pre-stress; UK tends toward a more rounded /ɒ/ and crisper /t/ passage before /ʃ/; AU resembles UK but with broader vowel qualities and faster tempo. Generally the /ɒ/ in the second syllable is relatively short in all, with /ʃ/ kept distinct across regions.
The challenge lies in the three-part structure: a short, weak initial schwa, a strong second syllable with /ɒ/ and /p/ clustered with /t/, and a final -tion with /ʃən/. The transition from /p/ to /ʃ/ requires precise tongue movement to avoid a bilabial-labial clash and to keep /t/ subtle but audible before /ʃ/. Mastery comes from controlled lip rounding, a light alveolar stop, and a crisp post-t- vowel.
Focus on maintaining the sequence a-DOP-tion with even pacing. Don’t rush the second syllable; allow the /ɒ/ to sit briefly before the /p/ onset, then smoothly glide into /ʃən/. Visualize the mouth shaping as you would say ‘cot’ for /ɒ/ and drop the jaw slightly before the /t/ release. The -ion ending tightens into a light, almost unwritten /ən/ so keep the tongue at the alveolar ridge without flaring.
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Adoption comes from the Latin adoptio, from adopto, meaning to choose or take to oneself. Adopto itself is formed from ad- ‘toward’ + optare ‘to choose, select.’ The term entered English via Old French adoption or adption in the late Middle Ages, retaining its legal sense of formal taking and making someone a child of one’s family. Over time, adoption broadened in English to include the figurative sense of “taking up” or “embracing” ideas, practices, or policies. By the 17th and 18th centuries, adoption was established in legal language to denote the process by which a child becomes a legitimate heir with rights akin to a natural child. In contemporary usage, adoption spans domestic, international, and step-adoption contexts, as well as metaphorical adoption of methods, technologies, and customs. The evolution reflects a shift from a strictly legal, hereditary frame to a broader social and cultural mechanism for creating family-like or organizational relationships. First known uses appear in English law and ecclesiastical contexts, with later expansion into general discourse, reflecting changing norms about family, inheritance, and governance.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "adoption" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "adoption" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "adoption"
-ion sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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