2 syllables: As, sure. Stress on sure.
uh-SHUUR
/əˈʃʊɹ/
Assure is pronounced uh-SHUUR (/əˈʃʊɹ/). It has two syllables (As-sure), with the stress on "sure". Assure is a verb meaning to promise or guarantee that something will happen or be the case, often to provide confidence or remove doubt. It can also mean to persuade or reassure someone, typically through words or actions. The sense emphasizes certainty, commitment, and the intention to comfort or convince.
verbAssure is a verb meaning to promise or guarantee that something will happen or be the case, often to provide confidence or remove doubt. It can also mean to persuade or reassure someone, typically through words or actions. The sense emphasizes certainty, commitment, and the intention to comfort or convince.
- You might under-emphasize the second syllable, making the word sound like /əˈʃɔːr/ with a longer but weaker /ɔː/; ensure the primary stress falls on the second syllable and the vowel is fully formed. - Another common error is breaking the /ʃ/ from the following vowel with an extra vowel sound, producing /ə-ʃə-ɔːr/. Fix by gluing /ʃ/ to the vowel and maintaining a clean transition from schwa to /ʃ/ to /ɔː/. - Finally, non-rhotic speakers may drop the /r/ in post-vocalic positions, yielding /əˈʃɔː/; if you’re aiming for American-like rhoticity, ensure your /ɹ/ is present and the vowel before it remains rounded. - Practice tip: use minimal pairs like sure, shore to hear the distinct /ʃ/ + vowel combination, record and compare.
How to Pronounce Assure
"I can assure you that the project will be completed on time."
"She assured him of her support during the transition."
"The doctor reassured and assured the patient about the treatment plan."
Phonetically it is /əˈʃʊər/ in US English and /əˈʃɔː/ in UK/AU English. The first syllable is a reduced schwa, the second carries primary stress with /ʃ/ followed by a rhotacized vowel or long vowel /ʊə/ or /ɔː/. Tip: aim for a crisp /ʃ/ immediately after the schwa, then a tight, rounded vowel. You can reference /əˈʃʊər/ and practice by saying 'uh-SHORE' with a rounded, elongated second vowel.
Common errors: (1) flattening the second syllable into a short /ə/ or /ɪ/ vowel, (2) breaking the /ʃ/ from the following vowel with a glottal stop, (3) inserting an extra vowel between /ʃ/ and the vowel, resulting in /ə-ʃə-wər/. Correction: keep /ʃ/ tightly connected to the vowel, use a clear schwa in the first syllable, and avoid an extra vowel; rehearse as /əˈʃʊər/ (US) or /əˈʃɔː/ (UK/AU) with steady, unbroken rhythm.
US tends to /əˈʃʊər/ with a rhotacized ending; UK/AU often favor /əˈʃɔː/ with a longer, rounded /ɔː/ and less rhoticity in non- rhotic contexts. The key difference is the final vowel length and rhotic coloring; US speakers often pronounce /ɹ/ in rhotic contexts, while UK and AU may reduce the r-sound in coda positions depending on the speaker. Practice both: /əˈʃʊər/ (US) vs /əˈʃɔː/ (UK/AU).
Difficulty comes from the vowel sequence and the /ʃ/ + vowel cluster. The second syllable carries primary stress and requires a smooth glide from /ʃ/ into a near-diphthong /ʊə/ or long /ɔː/. For some, the schwa in the first syllable is weak, causing mis-stress and weak pronunciation. Focus on a controlled lip rounding for /ʊə/ or /ɔː/ and avoid inserting extra vowels. Proper tongue position for /ʃ/ with the following vowel is essential.
The run-together quality of /ʃ/ and the vowel that follows is distinctive: /əˈʃʊər/ or /əˈʃɔː/. You should drop any extra consonants between /ʃ/ and the vowel and keep the schwa brief and the second syllable prominent. This yields a smooth, confident delivery, especially in declarative sentences or promises.
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- US: Pronounce as /əˈʃʊər/ with a rhotic /ɹ/ in rhotic buckets. The second syllable hosts a near-diphthong that glides from /ʊ/ to /ər/; lips round toward /ʊ/ and relax for the /ɹ/. - UK: /əˈʃɔː/ with a longer, pure /ɔː/ vowel; non-rhotic tendencies mean less explicit /ɹ/; keep the /ʃ/ strongly audible and the vowel long. - AU: Similar to UK but some speakers retain post-vocalic /ɹ/ less strongly; emphasize the long vowel /ɔː/ and a smooth /ʃ/ onset. IPA references: US /əˈʃʊər/; UK/AU /əˈʃɔː/. - Practical tip: practice with minimal pairs: sure/shore, pure/pour, cure/core to map the /ʃ/ + vowel sequence. - Mouth positions: for /ʃ/ retract the tongue blade toward the palate; for /ɔː/ or /ʊə/ round lips slightly and keep the jaw steady.
Assure comes from the Old French acquerre or asurer, meaning to guarantee or assure, with roots in Latin as ‘asserare’ from ‘asserare’ meaning to assert or to declare. In Middle English, it appeared as assoor and as sure, shifting toward the modern spelling by the 15th century. The core sense developed from a legal or formal guarantee to a general sense of making someone confident or certain about a statement or outcome. The word shares lineage with ensure and reassure, but its rendering preserves a distinct emphasis on a statement that removes doubt by promising reliability or safety. First known uses in English literature appear in legal and religious contexts where authorities insisted on guarantees, then expanding to personal reassurance in everyday speech as commerce, law, and correspondence grew more conversational. Over time, the verb’s pronunciation settled to a two-syllable form with stress on the second syllable in common usage, though some speakers intone it with a slight reduction in the final vowel. Today, assure remains a versatile verb used across formal and informal registers, often in business and service communications to convey confidence and commitment.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Assure" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Assure"
-ure sounds
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