Asses refers to plural of ass, meaning both the animals and, in informal contexts, an insult meaning a foolish person. The term can also appear in idioms (e.g., “to ass someone out” historically). In standard usage, the word carries two senses: a zoological plural and a vulgar or humorous insult when referring to people. In careful prose, capitalization and context determine interpretation.
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- You’ll often mispronounce the second syllable as a long vowel, saying /ˈæs-iːz/ instead of /ˈæs.ɪz/. Keep the second vowel lax as /ɪ/ and end with /z/. - Slurring the /s/ into a quicker /z/ or causing the word to sound like /ˈæsɪz/ with reduced final consonant clarity; articulate the /s/ and the following /ɪ/ distinctly before the voiced /z/. - Misplacing the mouth position for the /æ/; use a low-mid jaw position with a relaxed tongue to avoid a tense /æ/ that blends toward /eɪ/; keep a short, crisp /æ/ like in “cat.” - For insult sense, rising intonation on the second syllable can imply sarcasm; keep flat or modest intonation unless your intent is humor.
- US: emphasize rhoticity subtly; keep /æ/ bright but not front-lacquering; allow a quick /ɪ/ before /z/ so the /z/ is audible. IPA: /ˈæs.ɪz/. - UK: crisper, shorter second vowel; maintain clean /s/ onset and a shorter /ɪ/ so that /z/ is precise; non-rhotic leading to slightly weaker post-vocalic r influence but not affecting this word. IPA: /ˈæs.ɪz/. - AU: broader /æ/ and slightly longer, more centralized /ɪ/ depending on speaker; ensure the final /z/ remains voiced and clear; avoid rounding the lips too much on /æ/. IPA: /ˈæs.ɪz/.
"The farmer kept several asses near the orchard."
"Don’t call him an ass; use more constructive language."
"The documentary contrasted the behavior of the asses with the other livestock."
"Stop joking—don’t insult someone by calling them an ass."
The word asses originates from the Latin asinus, meaning ‘donkey’ or ‘ass,’ which passed into Old English as ass and finally Middle English as ass. The sense referring to a foolish person developed in English through associative humor: a donkey’s stubborn, slow nature became a metaphor for people lacking sense. Early English texts use “ass” (donkey) in both literal and figurative phrases; by the 16th–17th centuries, the insult sense appears in literature and plays, often in comic or moralizing contexts. The plural form asses has always functioned in both senses, though modern usage typically distinguishes donkey plural (asses) from the insult (asses) via context, tone, and capitalization in written form. In contemporary English, the dual senses persist, with “asses” as a plural noun for animals and as a slang term for someone considered foolish or obstinate. The word’s inflection remains regular, with possessive asses’ and comparative forms not typically applied to the animal sense; in insult usage, it functions as a straightforward plural reliant on sentence subject position and discourse focus.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "asses" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "asses" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "asses" 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 "asses"
-ses 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.
/ˈæs.ɪz/ in US and UK, with the primary stress on the first syllable. The first syllable uses a short a as in 'cat,' followed by a light schwa-like transition for the second syllable in fast speech. The final z is a voiced alveolar fricative, often geminated slightly in careful speech. In careful or careful narrative, you may hear a subtle release between syllables: /ˈæs.ɪz/. For the animal sense, this remains identical; the meaning changes with context, not the pronunciation.
Two common errors: (1) Misplacing syllabic stress, saying /ˈæz.ɪz/ with a heavy z-vowel; ensure the second syllable uses a light, neutral vowel like /ɪ/. (2) Slurring the second syllable into a quick /z/ tempo as /ˈæsiːz/; keep it as /ˈæs.ɪz/ with a short /ɪ/ and /z/ at the end. A third pitfall is mispronouncing the initial vowel as /eɪ/ (as in 'face')—use /æ/ as in 'cat.' Focus on the crisp /s/ before /ɪ/ and the final voiced /z/ regardless of speed.
US/UK/AU share /ˈæs.ɪz/ in the animal sense and insult sense, but vowel quality is affected by rhoticity and vowel length: US often has a slightly shorter /æ/ before a lax /ɪ/; UK RP may sound crisper with a shorter /æ/ and more clipped /ɪ/; AU tends to have a broader, more centralized /æ/ and a somewhat tensed /ɪ/ depending on speaker. In all, primary stress remains on the first syllable, with the final /z/ voiced in all three. The main variation lies in vowel height and lip rounding, not in consonant identity.
Because of the quick vowel transition from /æ/ to /ɪ/ and the near-silent tap of English sequences under casual speech. The /s/ in /æs/ followed by a rapid /ɪ/ can cause a dip in accuracy if you tilt toward a longer /ɪ/ or misplace your tongue for /s/. Also, the final /z/ requires precise voicing; in rapid speech, listeners may compress the second syllable, causing the word to sound like /ˈæsɪz/ or /ˈæsɪz/ without clear /z/. Practicing controlled transitions helps maintain clarity.
In isolation, you can emphasize the distinction between the animal plural and insult sense by gently varying intonation, which brings out meaning without changing pronunciation. A light, shorter second syllable /ɪz/ keeps the word precise and prevents it from sounding like /ˈæsz/ or /ˈæsəz/ in rapid speech. Emphasize the first syllable with a clean /æ/ and avoid vowel elongation in the second syllable; the contrast in pitch can cue listeners to the intended sense. IPA reminder: /ˈæs.ɪz/.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "asses"!
- Shadowing: Listen to a native speaker saying /ˈæs.ɪz/ in a sentence, and repeat in real time; aim for one-syllable initial burst then the slow release to /ɪz/. - Minimal pairs: /æz/ vs /æs/; practice /ˈæs.ɪz/ against /ˈæs.əs/ or /ˈæseɪz/ to tune accuracy, though the latter is a separate word form; focus on the middle vowel /ɪ/. - Rhythm: Practice a rhythm drill: da-DUM-DAH, with emphasis on the first syllable; keep a steady pace to prevent vowel elongation. - Stress: Primary stress on the first syllable; practice saying with a mild secondary stress or no secondary stress in neutral context. - Recording: Record yourself reading context sentences; compare with native clips on YouGlish to tune rhythm and clarity. - Context sentences: “The donkey herd included several stubborn asses.” “Don’t call him an ass—he’s just mistaken, not deliberately foolish.”
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