amps is the plural noun for electrical amplifiers, or a verb-form shortened in casual speech meaning “amplifies.” In speech, it is typically pronounced as a single-syllable, voiceless bilabial stop followed by a voiceless bilabial nasal, forming /æmpz/. The word often occurs in technical and musical contexts, and the final /z/ is voiced even though the preceding consonant is voiceless, yielding a voiced endpoint in fluent speech.
US & AU accents are Premium
Unlock all accent variations
- You’ll often mispronounce amps when you try to compress it into a single alveolar click; instead, keep the full /æmp/ nucleus and release into /z/. - Commonly, the final /z/ gets devoiced after a too-strong /p/ release; ensure a quick, smooth transition from /p/ to /z/. - In rapid or casual speech, the /æ/ can reduce toward a schwa; work to maintain a distinct short /æ/ with a crisp transition to /m/ and /p/. - Another error is adding extra syllables or blurring the ending; amps is one-syllable in all major dialects. - Practice tip: do small drills focusing on the /mp/ coarticulation to keep the tongue ready for the final /z/.
- US: clear, rhotic pronunciation typically; ensure your /æ/ is slightly lower and tenser. - UK: keep the vowel quality close to /æ/ but allow a slightly clipped rhythm; final /z/ should be produced with full voicing. - AU: vowels tend to be more relaxed; keep the /æ/ distinct and the /z/ fully voiced despite a possibly softer ending. - General: maintain the lip seal for /m/ before the /p/; the /p/ release should be quick, not too strong, then a smooth /z/ with voice onset. - IPA anchors: /æ/ before /m/; /m/ bilabial nasal; /p/ voiceless stop; /z/ voiced fricative.
"The guitarist plugged in several amps to drive the cabinet."
"We need two high-watt amps for the project, and they’re both on sale."
"The crowd amps up as the chorus hits the chorus line."
"If you crank up the amps, make sure you don’t clip the signal."
The term amp originates from the abbreviation for amplifier, from the field of electronics. In late 19th to early 20th century English, engineers and technicians used amp as a unit of abbreviation, later broadened to refer to the device itself (amplifier). The plural amps follows regular plural formation in English, often used in phrases like “guitar amps” or “power amps.” The word’s modern sense is deeply tied to music technology, particularly guitar amplification, PA systems, and audio engineering. The first known uses appear in technical manuals and laboratory notes from the 1910s–1930s, where “amp” referred to a device that increases amplitude of electrical signals. Over time, “amps” entered common vernacular in music studios and live sound, becoming a staple term for any number of amplifying units. The evolution reflects broader shifts in consumer electronics: from bulky valve amps to solid-state and digital models, yet the name remains a familiar shorthand among players and technicians. In contemporary usage, amps is both countable (two amps) and uncountable in certain contexts (the amp section of a studio). The word’s flexibility also extends into metaphorical usage (turn up the amps) in popular culture. Pronunciation-wise, the plural form does not alter the base phonology: /æmp/ plus a final voiced s /z/.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "amps" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "amps" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "amps" 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 "amps"
-mps 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 /æmpz/. The vowel is short, as in cat; the /m/ is a bilabial nasal; the final /p/ is a voiceless stop released into the voiced /z/. Your jaw closes for /æ/, lips come together for /m/, and release into /p/ followed immediately by /z/. In connected speech, you’ll often notice a slight voicing on the final /z/ due to the preceding /p/ release. IPA: US/UK/AU: /æmpz/ with stress on the only syllable.
Common errors: (1) Not fully voicing the /z/ at the end after the /p/ release, leading to an unvoiced ending like /p/. (2) Over-voicing or over-emphasizing the /p/ stop, producing a choppy release. (3) Vowel reduction in fast speech, turning /æ/ into a more centralized schwa. Correction: maintain a crisp /æ/ before the /m/ and ensure a quick but audible /p/ release into the /z/. Practice with minimal pairs to stabilize the final /z/ voicing.
US: /æmpz/ with clear /æ/ and a voiced /z/. UK: similar /æmpz/, but vowels around it can be more clipped and the /z/ may be slightly less dense. AU: tends to be lenser vowels overall and slightly more relaxed /æ/; final /z/ is present but can devoice a touch in rapid speech. In all, the rhoticity does not affect this word; the key is preserving the /æ/ vowel and the /z/ after /p/.
Two main challenges: the abrupt /p/ release into a voiced /z/ is a tricky transition; many speakers produce a devoiced or under-voiced /z/ after the plosive. Also, the short /æ/ vowel can be reduced in rapid speech, turning toward /ə/. Focus on a clean, quick /p/ release and immediate voicing into /z/. Keep the mouth closing at /p/, then immediately open into /z/ with slight tongue tip contact for airflow.
No silent letters here. The word is pronounced with all letters engaged: /æ/ for the vowel, /m/ to close the lips, /p/ as a quick stop, and /z/ as the voice-inflected fricative. Some rapid speech may reduce the /æ/ slightly, but you should still hear the /p/ and /z/ clearly. The final /z/ is voiced; do not omit it in careful speech.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "amps"!
- Shadowing: listen to a native speaker saying a sentence with amps and repeat immediately; focus on the transition /æ/ -> /m/ -> /p/ -> /z/. - Minimal pairs: amps vs ampss? Use pairs like amps vs ambs? Better: “amps” vs “amms” (not actual word); instead use minimal pairs with similar structure: /æmp/ vs /æmp.s/? For practical work, use: “amp” vs “amp’s” (possessive) to hear /z/ vs silent. - Rhythm: practice a slow, precise single-syllable word with steady voicing; then gradually speed to natural pace. - Stress: keep primary stress on the single syllable; practice with sentences to embed in natural intonation. - Syllable drills: aloud, 10 reps, focusing on the /æ/ and /mp/ cluster. - Speed progression: slow (1.0x), normal (1.2x), fast (1.5x); maintain voicing in /z/. - Context sentences: “The guitar amps are on,” “Turn up the amps,” “Two power amps were damaged,” “He demoed the amps at the studio.” - Recording: record and compare with a reference; adjust voicing in /z/.
No related words found
