2 syllables: a, roused. Stress on roused.
ur-OWZD
/ɚˈaʊzd/
aroused is pronounced ur-OWZD (/ɚˈaʊzd/). It has two syllables (a-roused), with the stress on "roused". Aroused means being awake, mentally stimulated, or stirred to action, often emotionally aroused or sexually excited. It describes a heightened state of alertness or responsiveness, characterized by increased motivation, interest, or physiological arousal. The term can apply to feelings, sensations, or responses to stimuli, and is commonly used in both neutral and explicit contexts.
Aroused means being awake, mentally stimulated, or stirred to action, often emotionally aroused or sexually excited. It describes a heightened state of alertness or responsiveness, characterized by increased motivation, interest, or physiological arousal. The term can apply to feelings, sensations, or responses to stimuli, and is commonly used in both neutral and explicit contexts.
- Misplacing primary stress on the first syllable instead of the second: you’ll hear /ˈæraʊzd/ instead of /əˈraʊzd/. Correction: practice saying the first syllable lightly, reserve main stress for the second syllable. - Inaccurate /aʊ/ diphthong: some learners flatten it to /a/ or elongate it to /ɔɪ/. Correction: shape lips into a small round to mid-front position, then glide to a rounded closing position. Practice with slow, deliberate transitions. - Final /zd/ cluster: learners drop voicing or make it /z/ or /d/ only. Correction: keep the /z/ sound voiced, then immediately release into /d/ with a quick touch of the tongue to the alveolar ridge. Record and compare.
"The speaker’s voice grew firmer as the crowd became aroused by the message."
"She felt aroused to help after hearing the urgent plea."
"The documentary aroused a strong reaction in viewers, raising important questions."
Pronounce as /əˈraʊzd/. The main stress is on the second syllable: a-ROUSED. Start with a schwa, then the diphthong /aʊ/ like in 'cow', and end with /zd/ where the tongue touches the alveolar ridge for /z/ and closes with /d/. Audio references like reputable dictionaries can help confirm the exact sound.
Common errors include misplacing stress (saying /ˌeɪˈraʊzd/), softening the final /d/ to a /t/ or /ɾ/, and mispronouncing the /aʊ/ as a simple /a/ or /ɔɪ/. Correction: emphasize the /aʊ/ as a clean diphthong, keep final consonant cluster /zd/ audible (don’t devoice to /z/ or /d/ only), and place primary stress on the second syllable: /əˈraʊzd/.
In US, UK, and AU, the main variation is vowel quality and rhoticity. The /ə/ at the start remains reduced in all, but US and AU frequently show a slightly sharper /ɹ/ on the onset of the stressed syllable and a shorter /aʊ/ lip rounding. UK RP often features a marginally longer vowel duration and softer post-vocalic color. Overall, the nucleus /aʊ/ is similar, while accent-specific rhotics influence the perceived resonance.
The difficulty lies in the diphthong /aʊ/ combined with a voiceless-voiced transition at the end /zd/. Achieve accurate /ə/ initial unstressed syllable, then glide into a tight /aʊ/ with rounded lips, and finally produce a clear /zd/ cluster without vowel intrusion. Coordination of voicing and alveolar contact is essential. Listening to native samples and practicing the transition from /ə/ to /aʊ/ and then to /zd/ helps, especially in fast speech.
Aroused is unique because its stressed nucleus centers on a diphthong that can be misheard as /əˈaʊzd/ or with an extra syllable if the /r/ is overpronounced or skipped in non-rhotic accents. The key is delivering /əˈraʊzd/ with accurate onset and coda: schwa followed by a sharp /ɹ/ or /ɹ/ approximant in rhotic accents, then the /aʊ/ glide, and finally the /zd/ cluster. Being precise about the /r/ coloring and the final voiced alveolar fricative-stop cluster distinguishes correct pronunciation.
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- US: emphasize rhotic quality; the /ɹ/ is clear but not heavy; /ə/ is reduced, and /aʊ/ is tight but not overextended. IPA notes: /əˈraʊzd/. - UK: milder rhoticity; /ɹ/ may be less pronounced in some dialects; keep /ə/ as weak; /aʊ/ with rounded lips and short duration, final /zd/ crisp. - AU: similar to US, but with slightly more centralized vowels in some speakers; keep final cluster audible; ensure non-rhoticity varies by speaker. IPA: /əˈraʊzd/. - Quick tips: practice with minimal pairs that stress the syllable differently to feel the rhythm; record yourself and compare to native samples.
Aroused derives from the past participle of the verb arouse, itself formed from the prefix a- (on, thoroughly) combined with the verb rouse. The sense evolved from “rouse to activity” to “awaken from sleep, stir to action.” In Middle English and Early Modern English, arouse appeared in contexts of waking or stirring; by 18th–19th centuries, it broadened to include emotional or sexual excitation. The first known uses in print surface in the 16th–17th centuries in senses related to awakening or rousing people to action. By the 19th century, arouse gained prominence in psychological and physiological descriptions, denoting heightened mental or physical arousal. Today, aroused retains both literal and figurative meanings, spanning everyday urgency to sexual connotation, with usage often clarified by context and tone.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "aroused" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "aroused"
-sed sounds
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