Antitrust refers to laws, policies, or actions designed to promote competition by preventing monopolies, collusion, or unfair business practices. It typically encompasses regulatory frameworks, enforcement agencies, and legal standards aimed at maintaining fair markets. The term is often used in discussions of mergers, pricing, and market access in business and government contexts.
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"The government passed new antitrust regulations to curb monopolistic practices in the tech sector."
"Lawyers debated whether the merger would violate antitrust laws."
"Antitrust investigations can require extensive economic analysis and reporting."
"Companies adjust pricing and sourcing strategies to comply with antitrust standards."
Antitrust derives from the combination of anti- (against) and trust (a term for a large business combination or monopoly). The word anti- comes from Latin ante, meaning against, while trust in this legal sense originated in 19th-century America to describe large combinations of capital that restrained competition. The earliest uses date to late 19th century US when regulators began to address railroad pools and bans on conspiracies; the term gained prominence with the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890, which sought to prohibit restraint of trade and monopolistic practices. Over time, antitrust expanded to cover mergers, joint ventures, price-fixing, and exclusionary conduct across industries, with enforcement balancing consumer welfare and economic efficiency. Modern discourse includes digital markets and platform monopolies, but the core idea remains preventing arrangements that unreasonably lessen competition. First known usage appears in legislative and judicial records from the 1880s-1890s, with rapid mainstream adoption following federal antitrust statutes and high-profile enforcement actions in the 20th century.
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Words that rhyme with "antitrust"
-ust sounds
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Antitrust is pronounced with three syllables: /ˈæn.taɪˌtrʌst/ (US) or /ˈæn.taɪˌtrʌst/ (UK/AU). Primary stress lands on the first syllable for the noun/adjective form (ANT-i-). The second stress is on the -trust portion, giving antitrust a secondary emphasis: AN-ti-TRUST. Mouth positions: start with an open front lax vowel for /æ/, glide into /aɪ/ for the “ai” diphthong, and finish with /trʌst/. For clarity, keep the /t/ clusters crisp: the t of anti- and the initial /t/ of trust are distinct; avoid linking them too closely.
Common errors include merging the syllables into /ˈæntaɪtrʌst/ without the clear /t/ separation, and over-smoothing the /tr/ cluster into a simple /t/ or /d/ sound. Some speakers misplace the secondary stress, saying AN-ti-TRUST with uneven emphasis. Ensure the /tr/ is a true cluster /tr/ with a light yet explosive release, and keep /æ/ as a short front vowel rather than a lowered or blended sound. Practice by isolating /ˈæn/ + /taɪ/ + /trʌst/ and gradually linking them with controlled pace.
In US English, you’ll hear /ˈæn.taɪˌtrʌst/ with a rhotic r but the /r/ is not phonemic in antitrust; the r in -trust is not pronounced as /r/ but as /trʌst/. UK/AU often share /ˈæn.taɪˌtrʌst/ but may have a shorter /ɪə/ or a closer /ɪ/ before the vowel in some varieties; rhoticity varies, but in standard UK and AU, the /r/ in -trust is not pronounced. Across accents, the main differences show in vowel quality of /æ/ and the length of the /aɪ/ diphthong. In all, keep stress AN-ti-TRUST, with a crisp /tr/ onset.
The difficulty lies in the tri-syllabic rhythm and the consonant cluster /tr/ immediately after a diphthong /aɪ/. The sequence /ˈæn.taɪ/ can cause learners to blur the boundary before the /tr/ cluster, producing /ˈæn.taɪtrɚst/ or /ˈæn.tɪtˌrʌst/. Also, the /æ/ vs /a/ shift before voiceless /t/ can be tricky. Focus on a clean break between syllables and a distinct /tr/ release.
A distinctive feature is the /aɪ/ diphthong in the middle syllable, which must start with an open-front /a/ and glide into /ɪ/ without becoming a separate vowel sound. The /ˌtrʌst/ final ensures a clear consonant cluster at the end; keep the /t/ and /r/ adjacent but allow a light vowel to land before /tr/ if you’re moving slowly. Emphasize the contrast between /æ/ in the first syllable and /aɪ/ in the second to maintain rhythm.
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