5 syllables: al, le, vi, at, ing. Stress on le.
uh-LEE-vee-ay-ting
/əˈliviˌeɪtɪŋ/
alleviating is pronounced uh-LEE-vee-ay-ting (/əˈliviˌeɪtɪŋ/). It has five syllables (al-le-vi-at-ing), with the stress on "le". Alleviating is the verb form of alleviate, meaning to lessen or make something (such as pain or fear) more bearable. In modern usage it commonly appears as part of longer phrases like 'alleviating symptoms' or 'alleviating stress,' indicating the act of reducing a burden. The word carries a neutral to positive register in clinical or formal writing and is frequently used in academic, medical, and policy contexts.
Alleviating is the verb form of alleviate, meaning to lessen or make something (such as pain or fear) more bearable. In modern usage it commonly appears as part of longer phrases like 'alleviating symptoms' or 'alleviating stress,' indicating the act of reducing a burden. The word carries a neutral to positive register in clinical or formal writing and is frequently used in academic, medical, and policy contexts.
"The new therapy is alleviating much of the patient’s chronic discomfort."
"Government measures are alleviating the worst effects of the drought on farmers."
"The charity program is alleviating the anxiety surrounding job losses for many families."
Pronounce as /əˈliːviˌeɪtɪŋ/ in US/UK, with three main syllables in a stressed second syllable: a-LLEVi-ate-ing. The sequence features a schwa initial, a long E in the second syllable, a secondary stress on the third syllable using /eɪ/, and a final -ing cluster. Mouth positioning: start with a relaxed mouth for /ə/, slide to a high front vowel /iː/ for /ˈliː/, then glide into /vi/ and finally /eɪtɪŋ/. Audio reference would be available on Pronounce or Forvo for native voice samples.
Common errors include misplacing stress (putting primary stress on the first syllable a-LLEVi-ating) and shortening the /iː/ to a lax /ɪ/ in /ˈliː/; also some speakers devoicing the final /ŋ/ or slurring /eɪtɪŋ/ into a quick /eɪtɪn/. Correction: maintain the secondary stress on the third syllable (the /ˌeɪ/ portion) and ensure the primary stress remains on the second syllable. Produce a clear /liː/ with a tense vowel, then glide to /eɪ/ and finish with the velar nasal /ŋ/. Practicing with minimal pairs can lock the correct rhythm.
Across US/UK/AU, the core vowels stay relatively stable, but rhoticity and vowel quality differ. US tends to retain rhoticity in most dialects and may produce a slightly taller /ɪ/ or /iː/ in the /liː/ part depending on regional vowel shifts; UK often maintains non-rhoticity, with a more clipped /ˈliːviˌeɪtɪŋ/ and sometimes a longer final /ɪŋ/ vs. US. Australian speakers may feature a broader vowel /ɪ/ in /lɪː/ and a more centralized /ə/ initial, but generally preserve the /əˈliːviˌeɪtɪŋ/ rhythm. IPA notes: US /əˈliːviˌeɪtɪŋ/, UK /əˈliːv.ji.eɪ.tɪŋ/ (approx), AU /əˈlɪːv.i.eɪ.tɪŋ/.
It blends a two-mid vowels /iː/ and /eɪ/ with a concise /ŋ/ ending and a 3-syllable rhythm, plus the secondary stress on the third syllable can be subtle in rapid speech. The sequence /liːvi/ requires precise lip tension and tongue height to avoid conflating /vi/ with /vɪ/. Additionally, the initial schwa can be reduced in fast speech, risking an unstressed first syllable. Focus on maintaining the clear /liː/ before the linked /vi/ and the /eɪ/ before the ending -tɪŋ.
A unique challenge is maintaining crisp distinction between the /liː/ and /viˌeɪ/ sequences in the mid-word, especially when the phrase is followed by a vowel-starting word (alleviating symptoms...). The /ˌeɪ/ part is a diphthong that should be clearly heard, not swallowed. In connected speech, you may get a reduced /əˈliːviə/ if you speed up. Practice with gradual tempo, exaggerate the /ˈliː/ and /eɪ/ to ensure both syllables remain distinct, then blend into natural flow.
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Alleviating derives from the verb alleviate, which traces to the Old French word allevier, formed from a combination of a-, a variant of ad- ‘to, toward’ and allevier ‘to lift, lighten’ from the Latin levis ‘light, lightened’ (also the source of leaven). The earliest English attestations appear in the 14th–15th centuries, originally conveying physical lightening or relief. Over time, the sense broadened to emotional and abstract relief (pain, burden, difficulties). By the 18th–19th centuries, alleviate had become common in medical, legal, and moral discussions, extending to policy and social contexts. The participial form alleviating follows standard -ing derivation, functioning as a present participle or gerund, enabling it to modify nouns (alleviating symptoms) or appear in continuous verb phrases (is alleviating). Modern usage preserves the core idea of reducing load, discomfort, or severity, with frequent collocations in health, welfare, and crisis-management discourse. The word’s nuance shifts slightly toward gradual, ongoing relief rather than instantaneous cure, reflecting its emphasis on process and measurable decline in burden or severity.
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Words that rhyme with "alleviating"
-ing sounds
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