2 syllables: Ap, prise. Stress on prise.
uh-PREYEZ
/əˈpɹaɪz/
Apprise is pronounced uh-PREYEZ (/əˈpɹaɪz/). It has two syllables (Ap-prise), with the stress on "prise". Apprise is a verb meaning to inform or tell someone about something. It conveys the act of providing information or making someone aware of a fact or situation. The emphasis is on delivering relevant or timely knowledge, often within an advisory or formal context.
verbApprise is a verb meaning to inform or tell someone about something. It conveys the act of providing information or making someone aware of a fact or situation. The emphasis is on delivering relevant or timely knowledge, often within an advisory or formal context.
- Common mis-step: misplacing stress by saying ap-PRISE. Correction: move the primary stress to the second syllable and keep /ə/ in the first syllable. - Mistake: pronouncing the second syllable without the correct /aɪ/ diphthong, sounding like /praːz/. Correction: shape the /aɪ/ glide: start with /a/ then glide to /ɪ/ smoothly, ending with /z/. - Mistake: voicing error on final consonant, saying /s/ instead of /z/. Correction: keep the final consonant voiced; practice vocalizing with your voice on the end of the word for a crisp /z/.
How to Pronounce Apprise
"The manager apprised the team of the latest budget changes."
"Please let me know when you are apprised of any new developments."
"She apprised her superior of the potential risks involved."
Apprise is pronounced with the stress on the second syllable: a-PPRISE. In IPA (US/UK/AU) it is /əˈpraɪz/. Start with a neutral schwa sound, then the /pr/ cluster, ending with the long /aɪ/ diphthong and final /z/ voicing. Mouth position: lips neutral to slight spread, tongue for /p/ near the lips, /r/ with a curled or bunched tongue depending on your dialect, and the glide into /aɪ/ is a smooth, rising vowel. You’ll hear a clear, single beat landing on the second syllable. A quick tip: think “uh-PRYZE” with primary stress on the second syllable, finishing with a soft, voiced z. Audio resources: Cambridge/Oxford dictionaries provide pronunciation clips; Forvo offers native-speaker samples you can imitate.
Common errors include misplacing the stress (say ap-PRISE instead of a-PRISE), mispronouncing the diphthong as a pure /iː/ or /iə/, and devoicing the final z to an s sound. Correct corrections: place primary stress on the second syllable and use the /aɪ/ diphthong in the second syllable (/praɪz/). Keep the initial schwa /ə/ and avoid full vowel sounds in the first syllable. Ensure the final consonant remains voiced /z/ rather than a voiceless /s/. Practicing the full two-syllable rhythm will help keep the energy on the stressed beat. Listening to native samples on Pronounce or Forvo can help you hear the exact /ˈpraɪz/ ending.
Across US, UK, and AU, the core pronunciation stays /əˈpraɪz/. The main differences are subtle: US tends to strong, crisp /r/ with rhotic influence and a slightly tighter vowel quality in /aɪ/. UK often retains a more pronounced non-rhoticity in surrounding words, but /ˈpraɪz/ remains, with less emphasis on an overt rhotic influence. Australian speakers typically mirror US diphthong quality but can vary with a relaxed jaw and a slightly flatter /aɪ/ in casual speech. In all variants, the key is the /ˈpraɪz/ nucleus and the voiced final /z/ sound. Reference IPA: US/UK/AU /əˈpraɪz/; listen to native samples for subtle timing and intonation differences.
The difficulty lies in the /praɪz/ cluster and the diphthong resolution. The /aɪ/ diphthong requires a precise glide from /a/ to /ɪ/ while keeping the /p/ and /r/ tightly connected. The initial unstressed syllable /ə/ can be reduced quickly, which risks reducing it too much and making the word sound like /ˈpraɪz/ without the initial schwa. The final /z/ must stay voiced, avoiding a cast as /s/. Focusing on the strong second syllable with a clear /aɪ/ and maintaining voicing through the final consonant will help. IPA reference: /əˈpraɪz/.
Is the first syllable truly silent or reduced? Answer: No. The first syllable is a reduced, unstressed schwa /ə/, not silent. The stress sits on the second syllable with /praɪz/. The reduction of the first syllable is what makes the word flow, but you still voice the /ə/ and begin the strong /praɪz/ chunk immediately after. This subtle reduction is a frequent point of confusion in listening and production, so practice: say 'uh-PRYZE' at natural speed.
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- US: emphasize rhotic context, keep the /r/ distinct and allow a tight mouth around /praɪz/. - UK: maintain a slightly tighter jaw and listen for non-rhotic surrounding vowels; /ˈpraɪz/ remains, with clear /aɪ/ and a crisp /z/. - AU: similar to US but may show more relaxed lip rounding; keep the /ə/ in the first syllable light and the /praɪz/ nucleus strong. Use IPA /əˈpraɪz/ as your anchor and adjust intonation according to sentence stress. - Vowel nuance: ensure the /aɪ/ is a true diphthong and not a monophthong, particularly in careful speech. - Consonant: keep /p/ aspirated before /r/, and avoid inserting extra vowels between /p/ and /r/.
Apprise enters English via Middle English influence from the Old French a visiter or a visiter, from Late Latin appellitus 'to name, call by name' with a cast of meaning toward informing. The modern sense—‘to inform, notify’—developed in part through legal and administrative usage: you apprise someone of facts with clarity and timeliness. The word appears in print in the 16th–17th centuries, overlapping with the verb ‘advise’ but carrying a slightly more formal, directive nuance of informing someone who needs to know. The root relates to ‘to appraise’ in some early uses, which involved an assessment or valuation, but in “apprise” the semantic field settled on informing rather than evaluating. Etymological threads also link to Old French apprendre, meaning to learn or inform, which shares the sense of imparting knowledge. Over time, “apprise” remains comparatively formal, often found in business, military, or administrative writing, preserving its precise, information-forward connotation. First known uses in English appear in legal and administrative texts in the early modern period, reinforcing its role as an act of informing someone who has a stake in the information. The evolution reflects a shift from general awareness to explicit notification. Today, “apprise” is used across professional and formal contexts, frequently paired with objects like 'of' or 'that' and often followed by a noun phrase or clause that specifies the information conveyed.
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Words that rhyme with "Apprise"
-ise sounds
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