2 syllables: con, ceals. Stress on ceals.
kuhn-SEELZ
/kəˈnsilz/
conceals is pronounced kuhn-SEELZ (/kəˈnsilz/). It has two syllables (con-ceals), with the stress on "ceals". Conceals is the verb form meaning to hide or keep something out of sight. It is used when someone puts an object or information out of public view or prevents it from being noticed. The word conveys a deliberate act, often with a subtle or deceptive nuance, and can function in present tense as third-person singular or as a plural noun in different constructs.
Conceals is the verb form meaning to hide or keep something out of sight. It is used when someone puts an object or information out of public view or prevents it from being noticed. The word conveys a deliberate act, often with a subtle or deceptive nuance, and can function in present tense as third-person singular or as a plural noun in different constructs.
Tips: - Practice the transition from /n/ to /s/ by saying /nsi/ in sequence quickly without adding a vowel. - Use a mirror to ensure your mouth closes for the /z/ properly; you should feel a slight buzz at the end. - Record yourself and compare to a native speaker using Pronounce or Forvo samples to calibrate voicing and vowel length.
"She conceals her emotions behind a calm exterior."
"The hedge conceals the small shed from the road."
"He conceals the evidence, hoping no one will find it."
Pronounce it as kən-ˈsiːlz. The first syllable is a schwa /kən/, unstressed, followed by the stressed /siːl/ with a long E, then the final /z/ voiced. IPA: US/UK/AU /kənˈsiːlz/. Tip: keep the /n/ light and release the final /z/ quickly after the long /iː/ to avoid a clipped ending.
Common errors: (1) Misplacing stress as /kənˈsɪlz/ by shortening the vowel and weakening the /iː/; (2) Pronouncing the final cluster as /lz/ with a voiceless /s/ blend, producing /ˈsiːls/ instead of /ˈsiːlz/; (3) Over-articulating the /n/ between /kə/ and /siːlz/. Correction: keep a light /n/ but avoid an extra vowel before /siːlz/; ensure your final is a voiced /z/ immediately after the long /iː/.
In US/UK/AU, conceals is generally /kənˈsiːlz/ with a rhotic r only in rhotic accents; the vowel /iː/ in /ˈsiːl/ stays long. AU may exhibit slightly broader vowel qualities, but /ˈsiːlz/ remains; the difference mainly lies in vowel length and flapped/tapped t- or d-like realizations that can appear in fast speech. The coda /lz/ remains a voiced alveolar approximant. Remember the stress on the second syllable in all three varieties.
The difficulty centers on the long /iː/ in the stressed syllable and the immediate transition to a voiced alveolar /z/. Learners often misplace the primary stress or insert an extra vowel, producing /kənˈsɪlz/ or /kənˈsiːlz/ with an incorrect diphthong. Practice with minimal pairs focusing on /siː/ vs /sɪ/. Also ensure the final /z/ is voiced and not devoiced in rapid speech. IPA cues help anchor precise articulation.
Yes. Conceals carries the third-person singular /-s/ ending, which adds a voiced /z/ sound at the end. This makes the word akhir with a final /z/ that must be audible when the word is slowed and enunciated. The preceding /siː/ should be clearly long and the /n/ before /s/ should be light, ensuring a smooth glide into the final /z/. The stress pattern remains second-syllable-stressed, unlike the base form.
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Conceals comes from the verb conceal, which derives from the Old French concealer, from late Latin concealare, from com- (with, together) + celare (to hide). The Latin root celare means to hide or cover, and evolved in medieval French as concealer, indicating someone who hides or something that hides. By the 14th–15th centuries, English adopted concealen with a spelling shift to conceal, its pronunciation shifting in various dialects. The third-person singular present tense conceals emerged as standard in Early Modern English, adding the -s suffix for subject-verb agreement: he conceals, she conceals. The form conceals, with the -s pronounced as /z/ in most dialects, aligns with typical English verb morphology, while the semantic core of hiding or concealing has remained stable, though usage broadened to include metaphorical concealment (conceals information, intentions). The word is common in both literal and figurative senses, ranging from hiding objects to concealing feelings, signals, or plans. The pronunciation and spelling reflect the silent nature of the root concept, where the final /ls/ cluster is pronounced as /lz/ in many dialects, with a preceding vowel of short /i/ or /ɪ/ depending on stress and surrounding syllables.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "conceals" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "conceals" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "conceals"
-als sounds
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