2 syllables: blast, ed. Stress on blast.
BLAS-tuhd
/ˈblæstəd/
blasted is pronounced BLAS-tuhd (/ˈblæstəd/). It has two syllables (blast-ed), with the stress on "blast". Blasted is a verb (past tense) meaning to attack with explosive force or to spray with loud, angry language; colloquially, it can express frustration or denunciation. In everyday usage, it often functions as a mild expletive or intensifier, as in describing weather, wind, or wind-up remarks that were particularly harsh. The form can also serve an adjective in certain contexts, but is most commonly a past-tense verb. Note: The standard pronunciation centers on two syllables with primary stress on the first: /ˈblæstɪd/.
Blasted is a verb (past tense) meaning to attack with explosive force or to spray with loud, angry language; colloquially, it can express frustration or denunciation. In everyday usage, it often functions as a mild expletive or intensifier, as in describing weather, wind, or wind-up remarks that were particularly harsh. The form can also serve an adjective in certain contexts, but is most commonly a past-tense verb. Note: The standard pronunciation centers on two syllables with primary stress on the first: /ˈblæstɪd/.
"He blasted the barn door open with a loud crack."
"The wind blasted against the windows all night."
"The critic blasted the new play in his column."
Pronounced /ˈblæs.tɪd/. The first syllable carries main stress: /ˈblæs/. The vowel in the first syllable is the short A as in 'cat', followed by a 't' consonant onset of the second syllable, which is a quick, reduced /ɪd/ or /ɪt/ depending on tempo. Mouth positioning: start with a wide mouth opening for /æ/, raise the tongue to the lower jaw, and release with a crisp /t/ before a short, relaxed /ɪd/ cluster. In casual speech, the /t/ can be softened to a tap or omitted in very rapid speech, but in careful speech, maintain /t/ before the final /d/.
Common errors: (1) Replacing /æ/ with /e/ as in 'bled' rather than 'blæ'; (2) Dropping the /t/ or making it an unreleased stop, which weakens the crispness of /blæst/; (3) misplacing secondary stress by over-emphasizing the second syllable in fast speech. Correction tips: practice with a clean release of /t/ before the final /d/, ensure the /æ/ is a short, flat vowel rather than a lax /ə/ or /ɪ/. Use minimal pairs to train: blast vs. blanket, blast vs. blessed (distinct in British English with /blæst/ vs /blɛst/).
In US English, the /æ/ is a front open vowel as in 'cat', with a clear /t/ before /d/—/ˈblæs.tɪd/. UK English keeps the same overall structure but may present a crisper /t/ release; the /ɪ/ is slightly shorter in rapid speech. Australian English tends to have a less fronted /æ/ and a more centralized /ɪ/; the /t/ can be a glottal stop in some rapid speech, affecting the syllable timing. However, all retain primary stress on the first syllable. IPA references: US /ˈblæs.tɪd/, UK /ˈblæs.tɪd/, AU /ˈblas.tɪd/.
The difficulty centers on the quick, clean release of the /t/ between /s/ and /ɪ/ and maintaining the short /æ/ before a consonant cluster. People often over-elongate the second syllable or shorten the first too much, turning /ˈblæstɪd/ into /ˈblæsti/. Another challenge is ensuring the alveolar stop release is audible when spoken rapidly, preventing a merged /tɪd/. Focus on crisp /t/ release and a compact /æ/ vowel; keep the jaw relatively closed through the /æ/ to avoid a drawn-out vowel.
Yes. The primary stress sits firmly on the first syllable, creating a strong onset for the /blæ/ portion, followed by a short, clipped /stɪd/. The boundary between /s/ and /t/ is crucial for the natural rhythm; you should deliver /s/ crisply, then a quick /t/ release, not a prolonged /st/ cluster. This makes the word feel tight and energetic, especially in exclamatory or descriptive contexts. IPA cue: /ˈblæs.tɪd/.
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US: Rhotic, clearer /r/ is not involved here, but regional vowel variations exist: /æ/ often more fronted; /ɪ/ shorter before /d/. UK: crisp /t/ release, slight elongation in some dialects; AU: /æ/ may be more centralized, /t/ can become a voiced or glottalized stop in rapid speech. IPA reminders: /ˈblæs.tɪd/ with primary stress on first syllable. Accent tips: exaggerate the /æ/ to ensure it remains distinct from /e/; practice with word pairs like 'blast', 'blocked', and 'blasted' to feel the two-syllable rhythm.
Blasted traces to the verb blast, from Old English blastsian (to blast, blow) and Proto-Germanic *blastasjan, with senses tied to striking with force or sudden movement. Middle English adopted blast in the sense of a strong gust of wind, thence to explode or burst forth in sound or language. The past tense blasted emerged from standard verb conjugation patterns, solidifying in Early Modern English as a common colloquial intensifier or destructive action. The distribution of meanings broadened in modern usage to include both physical force (to blast a tunnel, a door) and metaphorical vigor or rhetorical attack (to blast someone’s argument). The intensifier use, especially in British and American colloquial speech, aligns with idiomatic expressions like “blasted weather” or “blasted wind.” First known uses appear in 14th–15th century English texts, with written records showing the sense of violent gusts and loud sound evolving into the metaphorical outburst we recognize today.
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Words that rhyme with "blasted"
-ted sounds
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