Amp is a short, informal form of amplifier or amplify, referring to increasing power or volume in audio contexts. It also appears as slang for enthusiasm or excitement (as in “turn up the amp”). In phonetic terms, the word is a monosyllable with a sharp onset and a reduced targeted vowel, used chiefly in casual speech and technical discussions about audio equipment.
US & AU accents are Premium
Unlock all accent variations
"- I’m turning up the amp for the guitar solo."
"- The amp should be set to avoid distortion at high volumes."
"- He’s an amp for the party, always ready to boost the energy."
"- We need a bigger amp if we’re playing outdoors."
Amp is a clipped form of amplifier, derived from the English word amplifier, which comes from Latin amplificare (to enlarge, enlarge, magnify). The root ampl- traces to amplis (“large, strong”) and the suffix -fy in English meaning “to make or become.” The shortening process in English—removing syllables for convenience—became common in technical jargon and everyday speech as electronic instruments became ubiquitous in the 20th century. The modern sense of “amp” as “amplifier” emerged in mid- to late-20th century music culture, especially with electric guitars and PA systems. The verb sense “to amp up” (to increase energy or intensity) is a figurative extension of the idea of increasing power, documented in colloquial usage from the 1960s onward. In contemporary usage, “amp” is primarily a noun referring to an amplifier unit, though it also appears as a verb in many contexts (“to amp up the volume”). First known uses appear in mid-20th century American English technical writing and popular music documentation, with increasing prevalence in casual speech and online discourse as slang and abbreviations proliferated.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "amp" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "amp" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "amp" 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 "amp"
-amp 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.
Say /æmp/ with a short, lax a followed by an unaspirated p. The mouth starts relaxed, with the jaw slightly lowered, the tongue high-front but not touching the teeth, and the lips neutral. The vowel is a quick, lax short a as in “cat,” the final /p/ is released cleanly. In US/UK/AU, this is uniformly /æmp/ in casual speech; keep it crisp to avoid an extra schwa. Listen to a sample from a guitar amp demo for reference.
Two common errors: 1) Prolonging the vowel into a fuller /æː/ or /æmp/ with a drawn-out or career-sounding vowel; 2) Releasing the /p/ with voicing or frication, like /æmpd/ or /æmp/ with a stronger puff. To correct, keep the vowel short and sharp, end with a clean, unvoiced /p/ release, and avoid adding any extra vowel sound after the /p/. Practice with a quick laminar release using a light front stop before the final vowel.
In all three accents, /æmp/ is core; however, you may notice subtle differences: US tends to be more relaxed with vowel length, UK tends to crisper consonant release, and AU mirrors US in general but with slightly broader vowel quality in some speakers. The final /p/ in British English can be released more fully in careful speech, while American English often features a quicker, tighter /p/. Overall, keep the same /æ/ onset and /mp/ cluster intact across accents.
The difficulty lies in the quick, clipped vowel /æ/ combined with a final voiceless plosive /p/. In rapid speech, English speakers often reduce vowels and combine sounds so you may hear a near-syllable: /æmp/ with minimal aspiration on the /p/. The balance between a relaxed jaw and a clean stop release is tricky; practicing a crisp /p/ without voicing or extra air helps.
No— /p/ is not silent in standard pronunciation. In casual speech you may hear a very light, almost unreleased /p/ in rapid phrases, but typically you should articulate a clear, unvoiced /p/ when the word stands alone or ends a phrase. If you notice an audible release, you’re likely hearing a light aspiration or a brief breath before the next word. Practicing with an explicit /p/ release ensures clarity in all contexts.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "amp"!
No related words found
