agreements is the plural of agreement: a formal or informal understanding between parties, or clauses within a contract. It denotes mutual consent and a plan or settlement. In everyday use, it ranges from diplomatic accords to binding business terms, and appears in legal, corporate, and interpersonal contexts.
US & AU accents are Premium
Unlock all accent variations
- US: rhoticity generally present; aim for a firm /ɡr/ followed by a clear /iː/; keep the /ə/ pre-stressed syllable light. - UK: similar, but may have a slightly shorter overall syllable and tighter vowel reduction in casual speech; maintain /ə/ before /ɡr/ with a crisp /iː/. - AU: tends toward UK/US patterns with a tendency for faster consonant clusters and slightly elevated vowel quality; practice with a quicker transition from /ɡr/ to /iː/ without extra vowels. IPA references: /əˈɡriː.mənts/.
"The two countries signed several agreements to promote trade."
"We reached agreements on the project scope after a lengthy discussion."
"Contractual terms and confidentiality provisions are part of the agreements."
"Before finalizing, review all agreements to ensure you understand your rights and obligations."
agreements derives from the Old French agreer, meaning to agree, from Latin ad- ‘toward’ + grāre ‘to please, please oneself’ via *apprāgire*; the term in English evolved to the noun form combining 'agree' with the suffix -ment indicating a state or result. In Middle English it appeared as agerement and later agreement before stabilizing as agreements by the 16th century. The sense broadened from a general act of agreeing to a formal promise or bargain, especially in legal and contractual contexts. The word sits at the intersection of social alignment and formal obligation, reflecting both mutual consent and the binding nature of a stipulation. Through centuries, ‘agreement’ shifted from interpersonal consensus to codified instruments, as commerce and governance required durable, trackable understandings. First known uses in legal prose appear in medieval contracts and diplomatic treaties, where agreements signified commitment and reciprocal obligations. The modern plural form emphasizes multiple commitments or clauses within combined instruments, a common feature in corporate governance and international law. Over time, the usage expanded to include informal understandings and social contracts, maintaining the core sense of mutual assent.”,
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "agreements" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "agreements" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "agreements" 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 "agreements"
-nts 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 a-GREE-ments with primary stress on the second syllable. IPA US/UK/AU: /əˈɡriː.mənts/. Start with a schwa, move into a clear /ɡr/ cluster, then the long /iː/ in 'gree', followed by a light /mənts/ with a quick /nts/ ending. Keep the /ɡ/ hard, and avoid tensing the jaw—relax into the /m/ and /n/ transitions. Visualize the inner mouth preparing the long /iː/ vowel, then a swift glide into /mənts/.
Common errors include misplacing the stress (saying a-GREE-ments), mispronouncing the /ɡr/ cluster as /ɡrɪ/ or inserting a vowel after /g/, and overemphasizing the final /nts/. Correct by keeping the stress on the second syllable, producing /ɡr/ tightly together, and ending with a crisp /nts/ without a separate vowel sound between /t/ and /s/.
US and UK share the same rhotic or nonrhotic tendency with /əˈɡriː.mənts/; Australia typically mirrors UK/US vowel quality but may be slightly more clipped in rapid speech. The main differences lie in vowel length and the rhythm: US tends to maintain a steady /iː/; UK may reduce the preceding /ə/ a touch more in fast speech. Overall the /əˈɡriː.mənts/ pattern remains consistent across regions.
The difficulty centers on the /ɡr/ cluster linking to the long /iː/ without breaking into a separate syllable, and the final consonant cluster /nts/ which demands a rapid, crisp release. Beginners often insert an extra vowel (saying /ə-ɡriː-ə-ments/) or misplace the secondary stress. Practice tip: drill the /ɡr/ immediately into /riː/ and finish with /mənts/, keeping the jaw relaxed and the tongue anchored in the alveolar ridge for the /t/ before /s/.
A distinctive feature is maintaining the vertical alignment of the long /iː/ vowel after the /ɡr/ cluster: you should not reduce /iː/ to /ɪ/ in careful speech. Keep a tense, high front vowel for 'gree' while ensuring the /m/ transitions smoothly from the /ə/ vowel. Emphasize the continuity of the second syllable without creating an extra vowel between /riː/ and /mənts/.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "agreements"!
- Shadowing: listen to native speakers saying “agreements” and repeat in real time, matching rhythm and intonation. - Minimal pairs: test /æ/ vs /ə/ for the first vowel, though agreements uses a schwa; compare with similar words like ‘agreements’ vs ‘agreement’ to highlight the plural /s/ ending. - Rhythm: count syllables (a-GREE-ments) and clap on each syllable to internalize stress. - Stress: ensure second syllable bears primary stress; practice with a focus on keeping the /iː/ long. - Recording: record yourself saying in sentences; compare to native; adjust mouth positions by watching a mirror.
No related words found
See how this word is used in our articles
