3 syllables: cat, a, lyzed. Stress on cat.
KAT-uh-leyezd
/ˈkætəˌlaɪzd/
catalyzed is pronounced KAT-uh-leyezd (/ˈkætəˌlaɪzd/). It has three syllables (cat-a-lyzed), with the stress on "cat". Catalyzed means to cause a reaction to occur more quickly by acting as a catalyst. It also can refer to initiating or accelerating a process or event. This term is commonly used in chemistry, but is also used metaphorically to describe something that speeds up change or development.
Catalyzed means to cause a reaction to occur more quickly by acting as a catalyst. It also can refer to initiating or accelerating a process or event. This term is commonly used in chemistry, but is also used metaphorically to describe something that speeds up change or development.
"The addition of the enzyme catalyzed the breakdown of the sugar."
"Her bold leadership catalyzed a series of reforms across the organization."
"The new policy catalyzed a rapid shift in market dynamics."
Say CA as in cat, then ta as tuh, lyzed with a long I sound: /ˈkæt.ə.laɪzd/. Stress is on the first syllable. The second syllable is a reduced schwa, and the final syllable uses the /aɪ/ diphthong followed by /zd/. Mouth positions: start with the front-of-mouth closure for /k/ and /t/, jaw drops slightly for /ə/, tongue high-mid for /aɪ/, finish with a voiced alveolar fricative to /d/. For many, the /z/ precedes a /d/ cluster in American speech, producing /laɪzd/ rather than a clean /laɪz d/ separation.
Two frequent errors: misplacing stress (speaking as /kæt.əˈlaɪzd/ or /ˈkæ.tə.ləzd/), and turning /laɪzd/ into /laɪz/ with a voiceless ending. Correct it by keeping primary stress on the first syllable and maintaining /laɪz/ with a voiced /d/ at the end. Another error: pronouncing /t/ as a dental or glottal stop in rapid speech; ensure /t/ is a light alveolar stop preceding a reduced vowel. Practice by slowly articulating /ˈkæt.ə.laɪzd/ with a clear /t/ then glide into /laɪzd/.
In US and UK accents, the primary stress remains on the first syllable: /ˈkæt.ə.laɪzd/. US rhotics add a more pronounced /r/ in post-vocalic contexts only if present; here there is no rhoticity in the word itself. Australian English also uses /ˈkæt.ə.laɪzd/ with a similar vowel length but slight vowel quality shifts: US /ə/ is typically a schwa, UK may verge toward a more centralized /ə/; the /ɪ/ or /aɪ/ diphthong in /laɪzd/ is robust in all three, with mild variations in reliability of the /laɪ/ diphthong. All varieties end with a voiced /d/.
Difficulties center on the consonant cluster at the end /laɪzd/, where the transition from the vowel to the /z/ and then /d/ must be smooth and voiced. The /t/ in the onset can be aspirated or flapped in rapid speech, and the middle /ə/ can be reduced inconsistently, leading to mis-stress or syllable-timing errors. Another challenge is maintaining clarity between /laɪz/ and /laɪzd/ in fast speech; keep voicing consistent through the /z/ and /d/.
The main note is the American vs British past-tense spelling difference: catalyzed (US) vs catalysed (UK). The pronunciation remains the same in both variants: /ˈkæt.ə.laɪzd/. The critical factor is keeping stress on the first syllable and a clear /laɪzd/ final rather than letting the /laɪ/ degrade to a neutral vowel before a silent or weak ending. If you speak quickly, ensure the final /zd/ is audible as a single voiced consonant cluster.
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Catalyzed derives from the noun catalyst, itself from the Medieval Latin catalysator, borrowed from the Greek katàlýein, meaning to loosen or to dissolve. The Greek roots kata- ‘down, completely’ and lysis ‘a loosening, dissolution’ reflect early scientific usage around substances that cause chemical reactions to proceed more rapidly without being consumed. In English, catalyst appeared in the 19th century with chemical meaning, and catalyze was formed in the late 19th to early 20th century as a verb meaning ‘to act as a catalyst’. The suffix -ize added to form catalyzed (past tense) in American English around the mid-20th century. The form catalyzed is common in both US and UK spellings (British English favors catalysed as the past tense). The term spread beyond chemistry into general use in the 20th century, describing actions, events, or ideas that trigger or accelerate developments in various domains.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "catalyzed" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "catalyzed"
-zed sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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