4 syllables: com, pro, mi, sing. Stress on com.
KAHM-pruh-meye-zing
/ˈkɑmpɹəˌmaɪzɪŋ/
compromising is pronounced KAHM-pruh-meye-zing (/ˈkɑmpɹəˌmaɪzɪŋ/). It has four syllables (com-pro-mi-sing), with the stress on "com". Compromising describes actions or policies that involve making concessions or concessions in order to reach agreement, often suggesting a willingness to trade some demands for broader acceptance. In practice, it can refer to decisions made to avert conflict or to reach a middle ground, though it may carry a nuance of undermining principles in pursuit of consensus. The term often appears in political, legal, and interpersonal contexts where flexibility is valued over rigidity.
Compromising describes actions or policies that involve making concessions or concessions in order to reach agreement, often suggesting a willingness to trade some demands for broader acceptance. In practice, it can refer to decisions made to avert conflict or to reach a middle ground, though it may carry a nuance of undermining principles in pursuit of consensus. The term often appears in political, legal, and interpersonal contexts where flexibility is valued over rigidity.
- Common mistakes you’ll hear: misplacing primary stress on the second syllable (com-PRO-mi- zing) or softening the /z/ into /s/ in fast speech, resulting in /ˈkɒm.prə.maɪ.sɪŋ/. - Correction tips: always keep /ˈkɒm/ as stressed; produce /prə/ with relaxed mid-central vowel; ensure /maɪ/ uses the clear diphthong /aɪ/; end with a precise /zɪŋ/. - Another pitfall is avoiding the /ŋ/ at the end, pronouncing /zɪn/; practice the final nasal with the /ŋ/ closure for a crisp end.
"The two sides reached a compromising agreement after hours of negotiation."
"Her stance on environmental policy shifted, showing a compromising attitude for the sake of bipartisan support."
"Being open to compromising on minor issues helped the team move forward."
Say COM-pruh-my-zing, with primary stress on COM (IPA US/UK: /ˈkɒm.prə.maɪ.zɪŋ/). The middle syllable uses the schwa /ə/, and the second-to-last syllable features the diphthong /aɪ/ in 'my'. The final -zing is /zɪŋ/ with a voiced alveolar fricative /z/ followed by the nasal /ɪŋ/. Mouth position: lips relaxed, teeth lightly apart, tongue neutral for /ə/, high front position for /aɪ/ in 'my', tip of tongue near alveolar ridge for /z/. Audio reference: you can compare with native samples on Pronounce or Forvo.
Two frequent errors: misplacing stress (saying com-PRO-mi- zing) and mispronouncing /prə/ as /prɒ/ or mispronouncing /maɪ/ as /mɪ/. To correct: keep primary stress on the first syllable /ˈkɒm/ and reduce the second syllable to a relaxed /prə/; ensure the /maɪ/ is a clear /aɪ/ diphthong, not a short /ɪ/. End with /zɪŋ/, not /zɪn/; maintain voice on /z/ transitioning to /ɪŋ/.
US/UK/AU share /ˈkɒm.prə.maɪ.zɪŋ/ or /ˈkɒm.prə.maɪ.zɪŋ/; rhoticity affects /ɒ/ and /ə/ slightly: US rhotics keep /ɹ/ in relevant positions, while non-rhotic UK accents may reduce some rhotic influence in linked speech. Australian tends toward /ˈkɒm.prəˌmaɪ.zɪŋ/ with more centralized vowels and less pronounced /ə/ in fast speech. In all, the key is keeping stress on the first syllable and preserving /maɪ/ as a clear diphthong.
The difficulty centers on the sequence of consonants /k/ + /m/ at the start, the reduced /ər/ in the second syllable, and the high-front /aɪ/ diphthong in 'my'. Coordinating a stressed initial syllable with a trailing /zɪŋ/ requires careful timing to avoid clipping the /m/ when moving to /prə/ and to keep the /z/ audible before the final /ɪŋ/. Practice with slow tempo to align mouth positions.
Note the -ising ending: /-ɪzɪŋ/ where the /z/ voice continues into the /ɪŋ/. Some speakers reduce /prə.maɪ/ to /prəˈmaɪ/ in fast speech, but the recommended form stresses the second syllable lightly and preserves the /z/ onset of the final -zing. Ensure you keep a voiced /z/ before the velar nasal /ŋ/ to avoid a /s/ or /z/+.
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- US: emphasize rhotic clarity and maintain a firm /ɹ/ where applicable; /ˈkɒm.prə.maɪ.zɪŋ/ with precise /aɪ/ and clear /z/. - UK: non-rhotic tendencies can soften /ɹ/; keep /kɒm/ and /prə.maɪ/ distinct; /zɪŋ/ remains sharp. - AU: more centralized vowels; ensure /ɒ/ is back, /ə/ is reduced in the second syllable; keep the final /zɪŋ/ crisp. - IPA references included for each variant.
Compromising comes from the verb compromise, which itself originates from the Old French compromis, from Latin compromisum, meaning ‘a mutual concession’ or ‘a result of a mutual agreement.’ The modern sense evolved in the 16th century to describe settlements in disputes requiring concessions by parties. The noun compromise later broadened to denote a middle ground or a settlement that balances conflicting interests. The suffix -ing marks the present participle/gerund form, used to describe an ongoing action or a state resulting from negotiation. The word’s core idea—balancing competing demands through give-and-take—maps onto many social, legal, and political negotiation contexts, where neither side gets everything, but a workable synthesis is achieved. In contemporary usage, compromising frequently highlights a willingness to yield in pursuit of cooperation, sometimes with a subtle moral or strategic nuance about principle versus pragmatism.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "compromising" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "compromising" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "compromising"
-ing sounds
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