2 syllables: clash, es. Stress on clash.
KLASH-iz
/ˈklæʃɪz/
clashes is pronounced KLASH-iz (/ˈklæʃɪz/). It has two syllables (clash-es), with the stress on "clash". Clashes is the plural noun or verb form of clash, meaning violent encounters or conflicts or to collide or come into conflict. In speech, it commonly appears in plural form as a noun (e.g.,.
Clashes is the plural noun or verb form of clash, meaning violent encounters or conflicts or to collide or come into conflict. In speech, it commonly appears in plural form as a noun (e.g.,
- You may crowd the /ɪ/ in the first syllable, making it sound like 'clash-es' with a short ɪ; keep /æ/ clear and brief. - The /ʃ/ should be a true 'sh' sound; avoid turning it into /ʒ/ or /s/ by softening or extending the /ʃ/ too much. - The final /z/ needs voice; avoid devoicing into /s/ in careful speech; keep vocal folds engaged. - When speaking quickly, the /l/ can become a light alveolar; maintain light but audible /l/ to anchor the cluster. - Don’t drop the second syllable entirely; maintain even rhythm with primary stress on first syllable. Practice with slow, then normal speed to stabilize the sequence.
"The two teams had several clashes on the field last night."
"Political rhetoric and policy clashes often derail constructive debate."
"The magnets clash when you bring the poles together."
Pronounce as /ˈklæʃɪz/. Start with a clear /kl/ cluster, then the short lax vowel /æ/ as in cat, followed by the /ʃ/ (sh) sound, and end with the voiced /z/. The emphasis sits on the first syllable: CLASH-es. In careful speech, keep the vowel crisp and the final /z/ unvoicedlessly elongated slightly when stressed. IPA: /ˈklæʃɪz/.
Two common mistakes: (1) Turning /æ/ into a longer /e/ sound, producing /ˈkLeɪʃɪz/ or /ˈklæʃɪz/ with a mis-timed vowel; keep it short as in cat. (2) Voicing the final consonant too softly, so the /z/ becomes devoiced or omitted; ensure your vocal folds vibrate for /z/. Practice by saying 'clash' + 's' with a quick transition: /klæʃ/ + /z/.
In US/UK/AU, the initial /kl/ cluster and /æ/ are consistent, but rhoticity affects surrounding vowels in connected speech and the /r/ in nearby context; there is no /r/ in clash(es), so rhotic differences mostly appear in neighboring words. The /ʃ/ remains stable across dialects. The final /z/ tends to stay voiced in all three, but Australian speakers may exhibit softer /s/ with lighter lip tension in rapid speech. IPA references: US /ˈklæʃɪz/, UK /ˈklæʃɪz/, AU /ˈklæʃɪz/.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster /kl/ and the short lax /æ/ immediately before /ʃ/. The transition from /l/ to /æ/ to /ʃ/ requires precise tongue placement and jaw relaxation. The final /z/ adds voicing and must be clearly audible after a steep consonant transition. In rapid speech, the syllable boundary can blur, leading to /klæʃɪz/ sounding like /klæʃɪz/ with a weak or devoiced z.
No. All letters contribute to the pronunciation: /k/ in 'cl', /l/, /æ/, /ʃ/, /ɪ/, and /z/. The word is syllabic with a clear pronunciation of every segment. Ensure you don’t elide the /æ/ or merge /ʃ/ and /ɪ/; hold the mid vowels steady before the final /z/ and keep the /z/ voiced.
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The word clash originates from the Old English clæscian, related to the Middle Dutch kletsen and German klatschen, all rooted in the Proto-Germanic *klatsaz, meaning strike or bang. In Middle English, clash took on the sense of striking objects together with force, evolving into metaphorical conflict over time. By the 15th century, clash was used to describe physical impacts and, later, social or verbal conflicts. The current plural form clashes follows standard English noun plurality with -es, pronounced /ˈklæʃɪz/ in most dialects; the verb form is /klæʃɪz/ or /klæʃɪz/ with present tense. The semantic trajectory moved from literal collisions to figurative disputes, a shift common in English as conflict language expanded into politics, culture, and interpersonal relations. Modern usage frequently pairs clashes with adjectives like violent, political, or ideological to denote intense incompatible interactions; it remains structurally flexible as both noun and verb.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "clashes" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "clashes"
-hes sounds
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