2 syllables: at, tracts. Stress on tracts.
uh-TRAKTS
/əˈtɹækts/
attracts is pronounced uh-TRAKTS (/əˈtɹækts/). It has two syllables (at-tracts), with the stress on "tracts". Attracts is the verb meaning to cause interest or attention to be drawn toward something. In everyday use it often describes drawing observers, customers, or notice toward a person, idea, or object. The form attracts indicates third-person singular present tense. Pronunciation centers on a stressed /ə/ or /æ/ onset with a clear /t/ cluster and a final /ks/ or /ks/ + /t s/ depending on connected speech.
Attracts is the verb meaning to cause interest or attention to be drawn toward something. In everyday use it often describes drawing observers, customers, or notice toward a person, idea, or object. The form attracts indicates third-person singular present tense. Pronunciation centers on a stressed /ə/ or /æ/ onset with a clear /t/ cluster and a final /ks/ or /ks/ + /t s/ depending on connected speech.
"The new storefront attracts shoppers from nearby streets."
"Her presentation attracts attention with vivid visuals and confident delivery."
"That slogan attracts a lot of interest on social media."
Pronounce as /əˈtrækts/ (US) or /əˈtræts/ (UK) with a stressed second syllable. Start with a neutral schwa or short /ə/ before the stressed /TRAK/ portion, then release a final /ts/ cluster. Think “uh-TRAKTS” with a crisp /t/ before the /s/; avoid a prolonged vowel. You can listen to native examples on pronunciation sites for authentic rhythm, but aim for a concise, energetic /æ/ in the stressed syllable.
Common errors: (1) Flapping the /t/ too softly, producing a light /d/ or /ɾ/; avoid this by articulating a full /t/ before the /s/. (2) Misplacing the stress, saying /əˈtrækt/ instead of /əˈtrækts/; ensure the secondary sound follows promptly after the stressed syllable. (3) Vocalizing the final /s/ as a separate syllable; keep it as a crisp /ts/ cluster. Practicing slow, then fast, helps stabilize the final cluster.
In US, the vowel in the stressed syllable tends to be lax /æ/ with a stronger, shorter /t/ and a clear /ts/ ending. UK often features a shorter, tenser /æ/ and crisper /ts/, with less vowel reduction in careful speech. Australian varieties may have a slightly broader /æ/ and less diphthongization in other words; the /ts/ remains a strong release. The main difference is the vowel quality and consonant release timing across accents.
The difficulty lies in the final /ts/ cluster after a stressed syllable. Many speakers insert an extra vowel or soften the /t/ before /s/, producing /æktræts/ or /æktrak/. Keep the vowel in the stressed syllable precise (/æ/), and execute a clean, unaspirated /t/ followed by an audible /s/ to form the /ts/ cluster. Tensing the jaw slightly for the /t/ helps prevent linking vowels.
The word hinges on maintaining a strong, canonical /tr/ onset following a short, crisp vowel. Some learners blur the /t/ into the /r/ portion when saying 'attr...' Instead, isolate the /t/ before the /r/ and preserve the /æ/ vowel sound in most dialects to avoid introducing a schwa where it isn’t standard. This creates a stable /əˈtrækts/ pattern.
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Attracts comes from the French attracter (to bring toward) via Old French atraire, from Latin attractare, which is composed of ad- (toward) + trahere (to draw). The Latin root trahere evolves into English with the sense of drawing toward, pulling in, or exciting interest. The word entered English with senses related to pulling toward, drawing in, and by the 15th century it carried broader meaning in social and psychological contexts (to appeal or entice). Over time, attract expanded to include magnetic or gravitational senses in science and to describe charisma or appeal in people and ideas. The suffix -s marks third-person singular present tense in English, indicating the subject causes attraction. The evolution shows a shift from physical pulling toward an abstract sense of interest and appeal, paralleling verbs like draw, entice, or allure in modern usage.
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Words that rhyme with "attracts"
-cts sounds
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