Alliances refers to formal agreements or partnerships between parties, often nations or organizations, to pursue common goals. It emphasizes cooperative ties and shared interests, typically involving mutual support in military, political, or economic contexts. The plural form highlights multiple such partnerships.
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- You may say AL-li-ances with strong first-stress; correct by stressing the second syllable: a-LI-ances, /əˈliː.ən.sɪz/. Practice keeping a short, neutral first syllable and a longer /iː/ in the second. - Final -ces as /s/ or /z/ can be misproduced. To fix, finish with a crisp /sɪz/, not /siːz/ or /z/ alone. - The /lj/ sequence can blur into a /l/ plus /j/ glide; maintain a clear /liː/ and then the /ən/. Use slow repetition, then speed up. - Vowel length in /liː/ should be longer than in casual speech; don’t reduce to /lɪ/.
- US: vowels tend toward a rhotic accent; pronounce /əˈliː.ən.sɪz/ with a clear /ɹ/ in connected speech if following US patterns. - UK: non-rhotic tendencies, so you might hear /əˈliː.ən.sɪz/ without an R; keep /ˈliː/ strong and slightly clipped. - AU: rhotic but broader vowel quality; maintain /ˈliː.ən.sɪz/ with a slightly more relaxed /ɪ/ before the final /z/. IPA references: US /əˈliː.ən.sɪz/, UK /əˈliː.ən.sɪz/, AU /əˈliː.ən.sɪz/.
"The country entered several strategic alliances to bolster regional security."
"Business alliances can expand market reach and brand credibility."
"Historical alliances shifted the balance of power during the crisis."
"Nonprofit alliances unite communities to address social challenges."
Alliance comes from the Old French alliance (a joining, union) and Medieval Latin alligantia from alligare ‘to bind to’, from ad- ‘to’ + ligare ‘to bind’. The English plural alliances emerged in the 16th century, retaining the sense of formal unions between parties. The term evolved from military and political coalitions to include broader partnerships in business, diplomacy, and international relations. The word’s core idea—binding or joining for mutual benefit—has remained constant, even as the contexts expanded. Early uses describe alliances of city-states or noble houses; later, as statecraft and global commerce intensified, alliances became a central instrument of policy, trade, and security. First known English attestations appear in legal and diplomatic documents that describe treaty-based arrangements, gradually ordinaryizing into contemporary usage for diverse collaborative frameworks.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "alliances" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "alliances" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "alliances"
-ces 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.
Break it as ə-LY-ən-siz with stress on the second syllable: /əˈliː.ən.sɪz/. Start with a schwa, then a long E as in 'see' for the second syllable, a relaxed nasal 'ən', and end with a soft /z/ or /sɪz/ depending on pace. Think: “uh-LEE-uhn-siz.” IPA guide: /əˈliː.ən.sɪz/. Audio reference you can check: Cambridge or Oxford dictionaries provide native-pronunciation clips.
Common errors include stressing the first or last syllable (AL-li-ances or al-LI-ans-es), mispronouncing /liː/ as a short /ɪ/ or misplacing the /j/ sound. Another pitfall is pronouncing the final -ces as /siːz/ instead of the correct /sɪz/. Remedy: place primary stress on the second syllable, use a long E in the second syllable, and finish with a clear /z/ or /zɪz/ sound depending on context.
In US, the /ˈliː.ən.sɪz/ reduces the first syllable slightly and keeps /ˈliː/ strong; rhoticity is typical. UK tends to a more clipped /ˈæl.i.ən.sɪz/ or /əˈliː.ən.sɪz/ with non-rhoticity influencing linking. Australian often matches US rhotics but with slightly broader vowels and faster rhythm. Across all, the key is the /ˈliː.ən/ sequence; regional vowels may shift. IPA references align: US /əˈliː.ən.sɪz/, UK /əˈliː.ən.sɪz/, AU /əˈliː.ən.sɪz/.
The difficulty lies in the three-syllable rhythm with the unstressed first syllable and the high-front vowel sequence /ˈliː.ən/. The /lj/ blend requires careful movement to prevent an undesired 'lea-nen' sound; the final -ances requires a crisp /sɪz/ release rather than /s/ or /z/ alone. Also, the 'a' and 'e' sounds can merge in fast speech, so focus on clear /liː/ and the final /z/.
No. All letters are pronounced in standard pronunciations: /əˈliː.ən.sɪz/. The sequence ‘ll’ produces the /l/ sound, and the final -ces is pronounced as /sɪz/ in typical pluralization. Ensure the /iː/ is held long enough for the second syllable while the third syllable contains a light schwa before the final /sɪz/.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "alliances"!
- Shadowing: listen to a native speaker say ‘alliances’ and imitate exactly the rhythm: ɚ-LI-en-siz, starting with a soft schwa. - Minimal pairs: compare ‘alliances’ with ‘alliances’ vs ‘alliance’ to hear the extra syllable; use pairs like ‘alliances’ vs ‘alliance’ and ‘align’ vs ‘ally ons’ for rhythm. - Rhythm: stress-timing pattern: weak-STRONG-weak-weak. - Stress practice: emphasize second syllable; practice in slow, deliberate tempo, then normal speed. - Recording: record yourself saying the word in sentence contexts and compare to native audio; adjust intonation and vowel length accordingly.
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