2 syllables: com, bines. Stress on bines.
kuhm-BEYENZ
/kəˈmbaɪnz/
combines is pronounced kuhm-BEYENZ (/kəˈmbaɪnz/). It has two syllables (com-bines), with the stress on "bines". Combines is the third-person singular present indicative of combine, or a noun plural form in contexts like factory machinery or agricultural harvests. In everyday use it denotes the act of merging or uniting items, ideas, or processes, often implying a deliberate or productive integration. The pronunciation centers on a stressed final syllable in the verb form and a clear, syllable-timed rhythm when used as a noun variant.
Combines is the third-person singular present indicative of combine, or a noun plural form in contexts like factory machinery or agricultural harvests. In everyday use it denotes the act of merging or uniting items, ideas, or processes, often implying a deliberate or productive integration. The pronunciation centers on a stressed final syllable in the verb form and a clear, syllable-timed rhythm when used as a noun variant.
"The farmer combines wheat with a powerful harvester."
"She combines several sources of data to draw a conclusion."
"The recipe combines spices from different cuisines."
Pronounce as COM-binez with stress on the first syllable: /ˈkɒm.baɪnz/ in both US and UK accents and /ˈkɒm.baɪnz/ in Australian English. The first syllable features /k/ with an open back rounded vowel [ɒ] followed by /m/, while the second syllable centers on the diphthong /aɪ/ (as in 'eye'), ending with the voiced final /nz/ cluster. Keep the final /z/ voiced, not an /s/ or /ɪz/. Mouth position: start with a rounded /ɒ/ for depth, then close to /ɪ/ for the glide portion, finishing with the alveolar /n/ and /z/. Audio references: consider listening to pronunciation guides or dictionaries for the exact rhythm and the /aɪ/ diphthong transition.
Common mistakes include misplacing stress (putting primary stress on the second syllable as in COM-bines), mispronouncing the diphthong /aɪ/ as a pure /i/ or /eɪ/, and finalizing with an unvoiced /s/ instead of the voiced /z/. Correct by enforcing initial stress, practicing the /aɪ/ glide to a centered nucleus, and making the final consonant a clear voiced /z/ (not /s/). Practice with short phrases to cement the /nz/ timing and keep the mouth ready to voice the final sound without a pause.
In US and UK, the primary stress remains on the first syllable with /ˈkɒm.baɪnz/ and /ˈkɒm.baɪnz/. Australian English mirrors this but can show slightly more centralized vowels and a softer /ɒ/ depending on region. The /aɪ/ diphthong is a standard open- front glide, but some UK speakers may lengthen the /ɒ/ and slightly reduce the duration of the second syllable. Practically: keep the first syllable crisp, but be aware of minor vowel shifts in AU where /ɒ/ can be more rounded or open.
The challenge lies in the /kɒm/ onset followed by the diphthong /aɪ/ in the second syllable and finishing with a voiced /nz/ cluster. The transition from a back rounded /ɒ/ to a front /aɪ/ requires controlled jaw movement, and landing on the voiced /z/ after the /n/ can feel abrupt if the tongue doesn’t stay close to the alveolar ridge. Also, the plural ending adds a final voiced sound that can get swallowed in fast speech.
There’s no silent letter in the standard pronunciation; the challenge is the primary stress on the first syllable with a clear /ɒ/ to /aɪ/ transition and the /nz/ ending. If you stress second syllable (as some nonstandard speech might), you disrupt the natural rhythm of a typical verb form. Keep the first syllable prominent and the second syllable lightly stressed, so the diphthong can shine and the final /nz/ lands cleanly.
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US: stronger rhotics and clearer /ɪ/ in diphthongs; UK: slightly more clipped /ɒ/ and a longer /ɪ/ part of /aɪ/; AU: broader fluctuations in /ɒ/ and sometimes a reduced rhoticity leading to a lighter /r/ influence if any. IPA references: /ˈkɒm.baɪnz/ across accents, with minor vowel adjustments. Focus on keeping the /aɪ/ robust and the final /nz/ distinctly voiced across all accents.
The word combines originates from the verb combine, derived from Old French combiner or Latin combinare, from com- (together) + binare (to place in two). In English, combine appeared in Middle English in the sense of joining or uniting. The -es ending functions as a third-person singular present tense marker or as a plural noun form in certain contexts. Historically, combine as a verb meant to bring together or to unite; by the 18th–19th centuries, industrial and agricultural usage popularized machine-related senses (e.g., combines harvester), while the general sense of “to merge” extended into data, colors, and ideas. The plural noun sense evolved in technical domains to refer to a machine or a set of items combined. First known use as a verb attested in the 14th century; as a noun, agricultural and mechanical senses appear in the 19th century with the rise of mechanized farming. Over time, “combines” has maintained its core meaning of bringing together, with usage expanding into metaphorical and specialized domains.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "combines" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "combines" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "combines"
-mes sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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