3 syllables: a, rou, sing. Stress on rou.
ur-OW-zing
/ɚˈaʊzɪŋ/
arousing is pronounced ur-OW-zing (/ɚˈaʊzɪŋ/). It has three syllables (a-rou-sing), with the stress on "rou". Arousing is an adjective describing something that stimulates excitement, interest, or sexual arousal. It can also describe something that evokes strong feelings or attention. The term often carries a charged or provocative nuance, depending on context, and is frequently used in describing scenes, imagery, or stimuli that provoke heightened response.
Arousing is an adjective describing something that stimulates excitement, interest, or sexual arousal. It can also describe something that evokes strong feelings or attention. The term often carries a charged or provocative nuance, depending on context, and is frequently used in describing scenes, imagery, or stimuli that provoke heightened response.
- You may neutralize the /aɪ/ or /aʊ/ diphthong, turning /aʊ/ into a lax /ə/ or /æ; fix by isolating the diphthong in isolation: practice /əˈraʊ.zɪŋ/ and slowly increase speed. - Stress misplacement: place primary stress on the second syllable; avoid saying /ˈær-ˈaʊ.zɪŋ/. Use mental beat: da-da-DA-da. - Final consonant: don’t drop the /z/ or merge it into /zɪŋ/; keep a crisp /z/ before the nasal /ŋ/. - Consonant linking: in fluent speech, the /z/ can voice into /zɪŋ/ without pause; practice with linked speech drills to maintain voice. - Vowel quality in fast speech: keep the /aʊ/ distinct; in quick speech, it can sound like /əˈraʊzɪŋ/ becoming /ərˈaʊzɪŋ/; monitor mouth position in isolation first, then in connected speech.
"The documentary included arousing scenes that held the audience spellbound."
"Her speech was arousing curiosity about the project’s potential."
"The aroma of spices was arousing his appetite as he approached the kitchen."
Say ə-RAW-zing with primary stress on the second syllable. The first syllable is a schwa-initial /ə/, the second carries /ˈraʊ/ as in 'now' plus a final /zɪŋ/ sound. IPA: US /əˈraʊzɪŋ/; UK /əˈraʊzɪŋ/; AU /əˈraʊzɪŋ/. Start with a relaxed jaw, lift the tongue to start the /r/ there, then glide into /aʊ/ as in 'how', finish with /zɪŋ/. Audio reference: try hearing it in standard pronunciation videos for the US/UK accents and mirror-mouth during practice.
Two common errors are misplacing stress and mispronouncing the /aʊ/ diphthong. Speakers often put primary stress on the first syllable as /ˈærˌaʊzɪŋ/ becoming awkward; ensure the stress stays on the second syllable: ə-RAU-zing /əˈraʊzɪŋ/. Another error is treating /z/ as /s/ in rapid speech, or finishing with a weak /ɪŋ/; practice keeping a clear /z/ to /ɪŋ/ transition. Focus on the mouth position for /raʊ/ with a rounded lip shape, not a pure /ɔː/.
US/UK/AU share the /əˈraʊzɪŋ/ pattern, with subtle differences: US tends to a slightly sharper /ɹ/ and faster /ə/ reduction; UK often has a crisper /ˈr/ only in rhotic accents, and vowels can be a touch tighter; AU generally features a wider, more open /æ/ for pre-stress vowels in surrounding contexts, but the stressed /aʊ/ remains similar. All three use rhoticity variably in connected speech; emphasize the nucleus /aʊ/ and the final /zɪŋ/ to preserve clarity.
The difficulty centers on the /raʊ/ diphthong and the cluster /zɪŋ/ following a stressed syllable. The /ə/ preceding the stressed syllable can be reduced, which makes the word less salient; the rapid transition from /ˈraʊ/ to /zɪŋ/ requires careful tongue speed and air flow. Keeping the tongue in the right position for /r/ and ensuring the /aʊ/ glide isn’t shortened are essential, especially in connected speech where blending to neighboring sounds can dull the distinctive nucleus.
No traditional silent letters in arousing. The word is pronounced with all letters contributing to the sound: /əˈraʊzɪŋ/. In rapid or casual speech, the schwa can reduce further, and some speakers may lightly de-emphasize the final /ŋ/, but this does not create a true silent letter. The primary risk is weakening the /z/ or the nucleus /aʊ/ through elision; keep the /z/ audible and sustain the diphthong nucleus for clarity.
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- US: sharpen rhotic /ɹ/; keep /ə/ reduced in weak forms but clearly voice /ɹ/ when stressed context. - UK: ensure rhoticity is present or absent depending on accent; maintain crisp /z/ and mid-to-high tongue position for /aʊ/; keep non-rhotic contexts where appropriate. - AU: often broader vowel quality; the /aʊ/ may sound slightly forward; keep lip rounding consistent and avoid over-lowering jaw. - IPA references: /əˈraʊzɪŋ/ across regions; practice with listening to native speakers in YouGlish and pronunciation channels to grasp subtle shifts.
Arousing derives from the verb arouse, formed in the 13th century from Old French arousier, itself from Vulgar Latin arousare, meaning to stir up or excite. The base arouse traces to Latin ad- (toward) + Russus (ash, red) in some early theories, but more robustly connects to Middle English arousen, borrowed from Old French arousier. The core semantic shift centers on stirring action or feeling, moving from general stimulation to the specific idea of arousal (emotional, intellectual, or sexual). In the 16th–18th centuries, arouse broadened to describe awakening or inciting interest, while by the 19th century it commonly conveyed psychological or physical stirring. The suffix -ing marks a present participle/gerund form, used to modify nouns or, in participial phrases, to describe ongoing states or actions (e.g., arousing interest, arousing scenes). First known uses appear in Middle English texts, with significant literary attestations in the Early Modern period as authors increasingly exploited the word to convey dynamic, affecting stimulation.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "arousing" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "arousing" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "arousing"
-ing sounds
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