3 syllables: com, pet, ed. Stress on pet.
kuhm-PEE-tid
/kəˈmpitɪd/
competed is pronounced kuhm-PEE-tid (/kəˈmpitɪd/). It has three syllables (com-pet-ed), with the stress on "pet". Competed is the past tense of compete, meaning to strive against others in a contest or struggle for a prize. It conveys active participation in rivalrous effort and reached a conclusion consistent with competitive action. In usage, it often appears in sporting, academic, or professional contexts where individuals or teams contended for a goal or title.
Competed is the past tense of compete, meaning to strive against others in a contest or struggle for a prize. It conveys active participation in rivalrous effort and reached a conclusion consistent with competitive action. In usage, it often appears in sporting, academic, or professional contexts where individuals or teams contended for a goal or title.
"- Several teams competed for the championship title last season."
"- She competed in the regional spelling bee and advanced to nationals."
"- The two researchers competed for funding before the grant was awarded."
Phonetically it is /kəmˈpetɪd/ in US and UK. The stress lands on the second syllable: com-PE-ted. For careful articulation: start with a short, relaxed schwa in the first syllable, then release a clear /p/ followed by /ɛ/ or /eɪ/ in the second syllable, ending with a crisp /d/. In Australian English, you’ll hear a similar pattern with a slightly higher vowel on the stressed syllable and a light, dental-tap-like closure before the final /d/. IPA: US /kəmˈpetɪd/, UK /kɒmˈpiːtɪd/, AU /kəmˈpiːtɪd/.
Common errors: (1) misplacing stress, pronouncing as com-PE-ted with a weak second syllable; (2) slurring the /p/ into the following /t/, producing /kp/ or unclear onset; (3) mispronouncing the final /ɪd/ as /ɪt/ or skipping the /d/. Correction: keep the primary stress on the second syllable and articulate a distinct /p/ stop before the final /ɪd/; ensure the /d/ is released. Practicing with minimal pairs like competitive/competed helps cement the /petɪd/ ending.
US: rhotic, clear /r/ optional; vowel in the stressed syllable often /iː/ or /eɪ/ depending on speaker. UK: non-rhotic; sharper /ˈpeːtɪd/ in some dialects, with lengthened vowel in the stressed syllable; AU: tends to be non-rhotic but with broader vowels; often uses /ˈpiːtɪd/ in the stressed syllable. Core is still /kəmˈpetɪd/, but vowel quality and r-coloring vary.
The difficulty centers on maintaining the secondary stress rhythm and the clear separation between the /p/ and /t/ in the -pet- sequence, plus the final /ɪd/ cluster after voiceless consonants. The mouth must transition quickly from a bilabial plosive to a mid-front vowel to a alveolar-tap-like ending /d/. Keeping the schwa light in the first syllable and stressing the -pet- syllable helps clarity.
A unique point is the t-voicing boundary: after the voiceless /p/ within /pet/ and before the final /d/, the ending inherits the voiceless environment, so the -ed is pronounced /t/ or /d/ depending on the preceding sound. In 'competed,' the standard is the /t/ release to read as /petɪd/ with crisp final consonant; avoid assimilating to /d/ as in 'compete-d'.
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- US: rhotic, vowel in unstressed syllables tends to schwa; ensure the stressed /pet/ is clear with a mid front vowel /e/. - UK: non-rhotic; the second syllable may have a longer vowel, sometimes /piːt/; maintain crisp /t/ release. - AU: non-rhotic; the stressed syllable often features a slightly higher front vowel; keep a clean /p/ onset and final /d/ release. IPA references: US /kəmˈpetɪd/, UK /kɒmˈpiːtɪd/, AU /kəmˈpiːtɪd/.
The verb compete derives from the Latin competere, meaning to strive together or to meet. Com- prefix signals 'together' and petere means 'to seek, aim for, or make for.' In Classical Latin, competere described joint efforts or contending for a shared goal. The word entered English via Old French and Latin-based scholarly use centered on contests and disputes. The form competed appears as the simple past tense and past participle of compete, aligning with regular -ed past formation in English. Over time, the nuance broadened beyond literal physical contests to include any rivalrous effort—academic, professional, or market competition—where individuals or groups strive against one another. First known uses in English documents appear in the late Middle English period, with increasing usage during the rise of organized competitions and sporting events in the 18th–19th centuries. The evolution reflects a semantic shift from physical clash to broader rivalry, while pronunciation remained faithful to the base form compete, with the -ed ending pronounced as /t/ after voiceless consonants. Contemporary usage preserves the sense of having previously engaged in competition, often contrasted with outcomes and subsequent results in business, sports, and scholarship.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "competed" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "competed" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "competed"
-ted sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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