3 syllables: com, mo, tion. Stress on mo.
kuh-MOH-shuhn
/kəˈmoʊʃən/
commotion is pronounced kuh-MOH-shuhn (/kəˈmoʊʃən/). It has three syllables (com-mo-tion), with the stress on "mo". Commotion refers to a state of uproar or noisy disturbance caused by people or events. It denotes a lively, often chaotic agitation, typically resulting from excited activity or controversy. The term emphasizes external noise, commingled movement, and attention-catching disorder rather than a quiet, orderly situation.
Commotion refers to a state of uproar or noisy disturbance caused by people or events. It denotes a lively, often chaotic agitation, typically resulting from excited activity or controversy. The term emphasizes external noise, commingled movement, and attention-catching disorder rather than a quiet, orderly situation.
- You may flatten the second syllable, producing /kəˈmoʊʃn̩/ without a clear /ɒ/ or /oʊ/ vowel; fix by holding the long /oʊ/ sound and then cueing /ʃən/ distinctly. - Difficulty with /ʃ/ preceding a vowel-less final /n/; practice by saying /ʃən/ as a unit with a light, quick release rather than a heavy nasal at the end. - Over-reducing the first syllable; aim for a soft /kə/ or /kɒ/ with a relaxed jaw to produce a stable schwa before the focal /moʊ/.
"The sudden commotion outside drew everyone to the window."
"News of the scandal caused a commotion in the office before lunch."
"There was a commotion at the stadium as fans erupted in celebration."
Pronounce it as /kəˈmoʊ.ʃən/ in General American and /kəˈməʊ.tɪən/ in some UK varieties; main stress on the second syllable: ko-MO-tion. Start with a neutral schwa in the first syllable, then a clear long O glide in the second, and finish with a light 'shən' cluster. Tip: keep the /m/ bilabial, and avoid turning the second syllable into a reduced vowel. You’ll hear /kə- moʊ- ʃən/ in clear speech, with the /ʃ/ immediately before the final syllable. IPA references: US /kəˈmoʊ.ʃn̩/; UK /kəˈməʊ.ʃən/; AU /kəˈməʊ.ʃən/.
Common slips include pronouncing as com-MOH-tion with wrong syllable stress, or turning the second syllable into a dull schwa without the long O sound. Another frequent error is linking the /m/ and /oʊ/ too tightly, producing /kəˈmoʊɔʃən/ or blending to /kəˈmoʊʃən/ without proper vowel break. Correct by emphasizing the /oʊ/ clearly and maintaining syllable separation: /kəˈmoʊ.ʃən/.
In US English, the second syllable receives strong stress with /oʊ/ as a long diphthong and a final light /n/ or syllabic /ən/. UK English often reduces the first syllable’s vowel slightly and may show less rhoticity, with /əˈməʊʃən/ or /kəˈməʊt͡siən/ depending on dialect. Australian English tends to align with non-rhotic patterns and may feature a closer /ɔː/ or /oʊ/ realization in the second syllable, but generally keeps /ʃən/ at the end. Always listen for the strong stress on the second syllable in all variants.
The difficulty lies in sustaining the diphthong /oʊ/ clearly while transitioning to the /ʃ/ sound and concluding with a light /ən/ or /n̩/. Many non-native speakers struggle with the mid-to-back vowel shift and the rapid sequence /oʊ-ʃən/ without inserting an unintended vowel or reducing the middle syllable. Practice by isolating the /oʊ/ glide, then add the /ʃ/ quickly while keeping the tongue high for the /ʃ/ and finishing with a crisp /ən/ or syllabic /n/.
A notable nuance is the medio-lateral timing of the syllables: the primary stress lands on MO, so you should release the /o/ into a distinct /oʊ/ before the /ʃən/ cluster. Some speakers also afford a very brief secondary light stress on the first syllable when used in contrastive contexts (e.g., 'It wasn’t a COM-motion; it was a quiet scene'), but standard usage keeps the main stress on the second syllable. IPA cues help maintain accuracy: /kəˈmoʊ.ʃən/ (US).
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- US: Emphasize the /oʊ/ in the second syllable; keep the /ə/ in the first syllable light but audible. Non-rhotic variance is mild in careful speech. IPA: US /kəˈmoʊ.ʃən/. - UK: Often the first vowel softens toward /ə/ and the second around /əʊ/ or /əʊ. t͡ɪən/ depending on region. IPA: /kəˈməʊ.ʃən/. - AU: Similar to UK but with possibly a broader /oʊ/ in the second syllable and a less pronounced final consonant; IPA: /kəˈməʊ.ʃən/. - Key tip: keep the tongue in a high-mid position for /oʊ/, avoid tensing the jaw, and let /ʃ/ be a single, smooth sound followed by a crisp /ən/.
Commotion comes from the Latin commotio, from com- 'together' + motio 'motion', from movēre 'to move'. The Latin root mot- meaning 'to move' is shared with emotion and motive. In Medieval Latin, commotio referred to a shaking or disturbance, then in Old French as concomotion or commotion, and it entered English in the 15th century with the sense of 'a stirring up, disturbance'. Over time, it specialized to describe noisy disturbance or upheaval in a crowd, later broadening in some contexts to any turmoil or excitement that disrupts quiet or order. The core sense retains the idea of external moving or stirring that captures attention. First known use in English dates to the 15th century, with early usage tied to political or social disturbances, evolving to modern usage as a general term for any uproar or bustle. The word retains its Latinate form, with the -tion suffix indicating the action or condition of being stirred up. While often neutral, in contemporary usage it can carry a slightly negative or judgmental tone depending on the degree of noise or disorder described."
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Words that rhyme with "commotion"
-ion sounds
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