2 syllables: con, cealed. Stress on cealed.
kuhn-SEELD
/kəˈnsild/
concealed is pronounced kuhn-SEELD (/kəˈnsild/). It has two syllables (con-cealed), with the stress on "cealed". Concealed is an adjective or verb form meaning hidden from sight or kept secret. It refers to something deliberately covered or not openly shown, or to the act of hiding something. In usage, it often describes information, motives, or objects placed out of view, either physically or figuratively. It implies concealment that prevents straightforward detection or awareness.
Concealed is an adjective or verb form meaning hidden from sight or kept secret. It refers to something deliberately covered or not openly shown, or to the act of hiding something. In usage, it often describes information, motives, or objects placed out of view, either physically or figuratively. It implies concealment that prevents straightforward detection or awareness.
- You may drop the final /d/ in fast speech, resulting in /kənˈsiːl/. To fix: pause slightly before the /d/, say the /l/ with a light tongue touch to the alveolar ridge, then release with /d/. - Your second syllable may not sustain the /iː/ long enough, giving /kənˈsɪl/ or /kənˈsiːl/; fix by keeping the mouth open a hair longer and focus on jaw position for a longer vowel. - Some people blend /n/ and /k/ too tightly, causing /n/ to influence the /k/; practice with gradual syllable separation: /kən/ + /ˈsiːld/.
"The evidence was concealed in a secret compartment."
"She wore a concealed badge to avoid attention."
"The plan remained concealed until the final moment of revelation."
Pronounce as /kənˈsiːld/ in US, UK, and AU. The first syllable is unstressed /kən/ with a schwa-like vowel; the second syllable carries primary stress: /siːld/. The final /ld/ cluster requires a short, clear /l/ before a light /d/. Visualize a quick tongue raise to the alveolar ridge for the /s/ after the /iː/. You’ll often hear it as /kənˈsiːld/ in rapid speech; careful speech keeps the /ld/ crisp. Audio reference: you can compare with common pronunciation resources and practice with word lists.
Common errors: skipping or muffling the final /ld/ making it /kənˈsiːl/ (losing the /d/), pronouncing the second syllable as /sɪld/ with a short /i/ like ‘sell’d, and putting the stress on the first syllable as /ˈkɒnsiːld/ in some dialects. Correction: keep the diphthong in the second syllable as /siː/ and clearly articulate the final /ld/ cluster. Practice by saying ‘concealed’ slowly, then with a brief pause before /ld/, and finally at natural speed maintaining the /ld/ closure.
In US and UK, the core is /kənˈsiːld/ with a long /iː/ in the stressed syllable. Rhoticity doesn’t alter the word itself much. Australian English mirrors /kənˈsiːld/ but with a slightly more centralized vowel in some speakers and a less pronounced /ɫ/ in rapid speech. The main differences lie in vowel quality before the final consonant: some UK speakers may show a clearer /ˈsiːld/, while certain US regions might reduce the vowel to a shorter /i/ in casual speech. IPA remains /kənˈsiːld/ across varieties; the difference is primarily vowel length and chromatic quality.
The difficulty centers on maintaining the /ˈsiːld/ vowel length with a crisp /ld/ cluster at the end. Some speakers reduce or assimilate the /ld/ to a lighter /l/ or drop the /d/ in fast speech, leading to /ˈsiːl/ or /ˈsiːld/ variations. The transition from the alveolar /s/ to the long /iː/ can create a subtle nasal or vowel length mismatch if not careful. Focus on keeping the second syllable vowel long and ending with a clean alveolar closure for /d/.
A unique aspect is the /n/ preceding the stressed syllable, which creates a nasal onset before the /kən/ part and the /ˈsiːld/. Some speakers may misplace the primary stress if the voicing in the second syllable bleeds into the first. Emphasize the schwa-like /kən/ then a strong /ˈsiːld/, ensuring a clear /ld/ closure, and avoid tying the /n/ to the following vowel unintentionally.
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- US: emphasize rhoticity and expect a clear /ɜː/ in some surrounding contexts; keep /iː/ long. - UK: maintain crisp /ˈsiːld/ with clear non-rhoticity; the /r/ is absent, but you’ll hear a slightly tighter jaw. - AU: might have a slightly more centralized vowel in the /iː/; keep it long and bright and maintain the /ld/ cluster. IPA references: /kənˈsiːld/ (US/UK/AU).
Concealed derives from the Old French concealed, past participle of couvrir (to cover) from Latin con- (together) and cumpire/complicare (to fold, to cover). The form entered Middle English via Old French and Latin roots around the 14th century, originally meaning ‘hidden or covered over.’ The modern sense evolved to describe not only physical coverings but also abstract concealment—information, motives, or intentions that are not openly disclosed. Over time, the verb form conceal (to keep from sight) and the adjective concealed (hidden) became the predominant usages. The prefix con- emphasizes the idea of thorough covering or hiding, while the lenition in pronunciation softened the transition between syllables, contributing to the final stressed second syllable in many dialects. First known written attestations appear in legal and narrative contexts where concealment determined outcomes, such as concealed weapons laws and secrets within plots. By the 18th and 19th centuries, probabilistic and psychological senses expanded, as literature and criminology emphasized the hidden nature of objects, information, or intentions. In contemporary English, concealed is a everyday, precise descriptor for anything deliberately kept out of view, whether physically hidden or metaphorically obscure.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "concealed" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "concealed"
-led sounds
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