One syllable: Chuffed.
chuhft
/tʃʌft/
Chuffed is pronounced chuhft (/tʃʌft/). It has one syllable (Chuffed), with the stress on "Chuffed". Chuffed is a British informal adjective meaning pleased or delighted. It conveys a sense of satisfied happiness, often in modest or cheerful tones. The term is commonly used in everyday British English and can imply a warm, slightly self-congratulatory mood in conversation.
adjectiveChuffed is a British informal adjective meaning pleased or delighted. It conveys a sense of satisfied happiness, often in modest or cheerful tones. The term is commonly used in everyday British English and can imply a warm, slightly self-congratulatory mood in conversation.
- You might replace /t͡ʃ/ with a simple /t/ or /dʒ/; keep the initial palatal affricate crisp to avoid a lisp or miscue. - The /ʌ/ should be short and central; over-lengthening or using a more open /a/ can muddy the word. - The final /t/ often gets dropped in casual speech; train to hear or produce a light alveolar release, even if barely audible. - In connected speech, ensure the /f/ is followed by a clear, not overly aspirated /t/ to preserve the word boundary. - Case-specific tip: when singing or arguing rapidly, maintain the /t/ with a small puff of air to keep enunciation precise.
"I’m chuffed with my exam results."
"She was chuffed to bits after the performance."
"We’re all chuffed to see you doing well."
Chuffed is pronounced /tʃʌft/. The primary stress is on the single syllable. Start with the /tʃ/ sound (as in 'church'), then /ʌ/ as in 'strut', followed by /f/ and a light /t/ at the end. In many accents, the final /t/ is unreleased or very soft in fast speech. Visualize the mouth starting with a palatal affricate, then a relaxed mid-open vowel and a crisp /f/ + /t/ cluster.
Common errors include mispronouncing the initial /tʃ/ as a /dʒ/ or /t/ alone, elongating the /ʌ/ into a more open vowels, and softening the /t/ so it blends into a /d/ or even drops. To correct: keep the /tʃ/ blend crisp, ensure the /ʌ/ is a short, mid-back vowel, and articulate a clear /f/ before the final /t/. In careful speech, produce a final audible /t/; in quick speech, let it be a light, unaspirated release.
In UK English, /tʃʌft/ is crisp with a final light /t/. In US English, speakers may reduce the /t/ or replace it with a glottal stop in casual speech, yielding /tʃʌfʔ/ or a smoother ending. Australian accents tend toward a clear final /t/ but can be less tense, with a slightly more centralized /ʌ/ and a softer /t/ release. Across accents, the nucleus /ʌ/ remains relatively stable, but coda realization and voicing vary.
The difficulty lies in the /tʃ/ onset cluster and the final /t/ release, which can slip into a /d/ or be lenited as a tap in rapid speech. The /ʌ/ vowel is short and central to the word’s rhythm, so mismatches here alter intelligibility. Additionally, the abrupt /f/ followed by /t/ requires precise lip-to-teeth contact. Mastery depends on crisp /tʃ/ initiation, stable /ʌ/ nucleus, and an audible final /t/ or justified release.
Chuffed is a monosyllable with fixed stress on the single syllable; no secondary stress. The key quirks are producing a clean /t/ release and avoiding /ʃ/ or /dʒ/ confusion with similar sounds. The blend /tʃ/ requires a quick closure of the palate against the tongue tip, and you should avoid rounding the lips too much, which can subtly shift the vowel quality away from /ʌ/.
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- US: /t͡ʃʌft/ with a slightly more rhotic vowel context around, final /t/ may be unreleased in rapid speech. - UK: /t͡ʃʌft/ with precise /t/ release; avoid voicing the final consonant. - AU: /t͡ʃʌft/ tends to a softer final /t/ and a marginally centralized /ʌ/; keep the onset crisp and the nucleus compact. - General: keep your lips rounded minimally for /ʃ/ quality, but ensure minimal lip rounding for the /ʊ/ to /ʌ/ shift. IPA references: US /tʃʌft/; UK /tʃʌft/; AU /tʃʌft/.
Chuffed originates from the verb chuff, which in British English has long carried senses of blowing or puffing. The adjectival form likely emerged in the 19th to early 20th century as a colloquial intensifier meaning ‘puffed up with pride’ or ‘full of satisfaction.’ The sense of pleased happiness then shifted to a positive evaluative mood, often used humorously or affectionately. The word is strongly tied to British slang, with its popularity amplified by media, sports, and everyday chat. While its precise first attested use is hard to pin down, earliest printed uses appear in mid-20th-century British sources, aligning with the rise of informal, regional vocabulary becoming mainstream in UK conversation.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Chuffed" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Chuffed" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Chuffed"
-fed sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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