2 syllables: check, point. Stress on check.
CHEK-poynt
/ˈtʃɛˌkpɔɪnt/
checkpoint is pronounced CHEK-poynt (/ˈtʃɛˌkpɔɪnt/). It has two syllables (check-point), with the stress on "check". Checkpoint is a compound noun meaning a designated point in a journey, process, or system where verification or review occurs. It is used broadly in security, software, gaming, and project management contexts to denote a moment for assessment or authorization.
Checkpoint is a compound noun meaning a designated point in a journey, process, or system where verification or review occurs. It is used broadly in security, software, gaming, and project management contexts to denote a moment for assessment or authorization.
- You might pronounce the second syllable as -point with an unchecked, flat /oɪ/ diphthong; instead, shape it with a rounded /ɔɪ/ and end with a crisp /nt/ closure. - Mistake: merging the two syllables too quickly, losing the /ˌ/ secondary stress; fix by elongating the /ˈtʃɛk/ slightly before the glide. - Avoid replacing /tʃ/ with /t/ or /dʒ/; ensure the onset is the precise palato-alveolar affricate /tʃ/.
"We reached a checkpoint and had our documents checked by security."
"In the software sprint, we set a checkpoint to review progress before the next release."
"The road trip paused at a checkpoint to ensure everyone wore a seatbelt."
You say /ˈtʃɛkˌpɔɪnt/ in US and UK English. The primary stress is on the first syllable: CHEK-, with a secondary stress on -point due to the compound. The vowel in the first syllable is the short e as in “bet,” and the second syllable has the /ɔɪ/ diphthong as in “boy.” Mouth positions: start with a front lax vowel for /ɪ/ish, then release into /pɔɪ/ with a rounded lips for /ɔɪ/. IPA guidance: US /ˈtʃɛkˌpoɪnt/, UK /ˈtʃekˌpɔɪnt/. Audio reference: imagine a crisp first syllable and a faster, rounded second syllable.
Common mistakes include turning the second syllable into /poʊnt/ or pronouncing as /ˈtʃɛkˌpɔɪn/ with a long final vowel. Another error is merging the two syllables too evenly, losing the natural secondary stress. Correction: keep primary stress on CHEK- and ensure the /ɔɪ/ diphthong in -point is formed with rounded lips and a smooth glide from /ɔ/ to /ɪ/. Practice by isolating the /pɔɪ/ portion and exaggerating the rounding briefly, then normalize.
Across accents, the main variation is in the vowel of the second syllable. US /ˈtʃɛkˌpoɪnt/ tends to have a rhotic influence and a slightly tighter /ɔɪ/ glide, UK /ˈtʃekˌpɔɪnt/ uses a more open /ɔɪ/ with less rounding, and Australian /ˈtʃekˌpɔɪnt/ sits between, with subtle vowel quality shifts and a light non-rhotic approach; the first syllable remains /tʃɛk/ in all. Stress remains on the first syllable in all three, with weak linking between the two syllables in fast connected speech.
The difficulty lies in the /ˈtʃɛk/ onset followed by /ˌpɔɪnt/ where the /ɔɪ/ diphthong requires precise lip rounding and tongue positioning. Beginners often mispronounce as /ˈtʃek-pint/ or merge the two syllables, flattening the diphthong. Focus on the transition from /k/ to /p/ and then the /ɔɪ/ glide, keeping the first syllable stressed and the second syllable reduced but distinct.
A unique point is the split-stress pattern created by the compound nature: primary stress on CHEK- but the second syllable carries a perceptible but lesser stress due to the compound construction. This affects pacing and rhythm in connected speech, especially when followed by a noun (e.g., ‘checkpoint system’). Pay attention to the boundary and lightly emphasize -point without turning it into a standalone heavier syllable.
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- US: /ˈtʃɛkˌpoɪnt/ with rhotic influence and a slightly tighter /ɔɪ/; keep lip rounding for /ɔɪ/ while maintaining a crisp /tʃ/ start. - UK: /ˈtʃekˌpɔɪnt/ with a more open /ɔɪ/ and less rounding; avoid over-rolling the r-like sound since UK is non-rhotic. - AU: /ˈtʃekˌpɔɪnt/ similar to UK but with a more centralized or flatter vowel quality; maintain clear /tʃ/ and the diphthong glide but soften the ending. - IPA anchors: /ˈtʃ/ onset, /ɛ/ or /e/ in first vowel, /k/ followed by /ˌpoɪnt/ with /ɔɪ/ in the second syllable.
The term checkpoint combines check, from Middle English cheken (to examine or inspect), with point, from Latin punctum via Old French point. The sense emerged in the 20th century to denote a specific place for inspection or verification within movement, travel, or processes. In military and security contexts, checkpoints serve as controlled entries or exits where credentials are inspected and decisions are made. In computing and project management, checkpoints mark predefined stages for progress assessment or version creation. Early usage appears in mid-20th-century military jargon, expanding into civilian security and software development as systems demanded periodic validation. The word’s adaptability across domains reflects a universal need to pause, verify, and proceed with confidence. The compound nature helps convey a precise, bounded moment of evaluation; the term is widely understood in both formal and informal registers, often found in instructions, guidelines, and progress reports.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "checkpoint" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "checkpoint"
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