3 syllables: con, ces, sions. Stress on ces.
kuhn-SESH-uhnz
/kəˈnsɛʃənz/
concessions is pronounced kuhn-SESH-uhnz (/kəˈnsɛʃənz/). It has three syllables (con-ces-sions), with the stress on "ces". Concessions refers to admissions or acknowledgments that a belief or position may be altered or compromised, or to concessions granted as favors or exceptions. In usage, it often signals a negotiated compromise or acknowledgment of opposing arguments, while still asserting one’s own stance. The term is common in political, legal, and business discussions to denote accommodations or accommodations granted.
Concessions refers to admissions or acknowledgments that a belief or position may be altered or compromised, or to concessions granted as favors or exceptions. In usage, it often signals a negotiated compromise or acknowledgment of opposing arguments, while still asserting one’s own stance. The term is common in political, legal, and business discussions to denote accommodations or accommodations granted.
- You may over-reduce the second syllable, turning /ˈsɛʃ/ into /ˈsɛs/; practice by isolating the /ʃ/ sound in word pairs like 'sure' vs 'sures' to maintain the exact tongue tension. - Another error is misplacing stress as con-CES-sions or coN-CES-sions in fast speech. Drill the rhythm: weak-STRONG-w-weak across syllables, with clear secondary stress possibly on the root. - A third pitfall is the final /ənz/ being pronounced as /ənz/ or /ənz/ with a nasalization that makes it blend into the previous syllable. Practice ending with a crisp /z/ and a light /n/ before it. Tips: place the accent on the second syllable, exaggerate it in drills, then relax into natural speed.
"The treaty included concessions on both sides, allowing the deal to move forward."
"Politicians offered concessions to gain support from opposition parties."
"The landlord made concessions on the rent after the tenants provided a long-term lease."
US/UK/AU pronunciation centers the second syllable. IPA: US kənˈsɛʃənz, UK kənˈsɛs.ɪ.ənz, AU kənˈsɛʃənz. Syllable stress falls on the second syllable: con-CES-sions. The initial sound is a reduced 'kən' (schwa + n), then ‘sesh’ as /ˈsɛʃ/ with a short e like 'dress', followed by a light 'ənz' ending. Keep the /ʃ/ in the second syllable and the final /ənz/ with a voiced z.
Two common errors: 1) Misplacing stress as con-CES-sions with incorrect primary stress on the first or a weak final beat; 2) Slurring the /ˈsɛʃ/ into /ˈʃɪn/ or mispronouncing the /ʃ/ as /s/ or /ʒ/. Correct by emphasizing the /ˈsɛʃ/ chunk, keeping the /ʃ/ clear, and finishing with /ənz/. Practice with minimal pairs: concession vs concessions; focus on the /s/ to /ʃ/ transition and the trailing /z/.
US tends to reduce the first syllable to /kən/ and carry the /ˈsɛʃ/ strongly, ending in /ənz/. UK commonly mirrors US but can have a slightly crisper /t/ avoidance or subtle vowel quality differences in /ɪ/ vs /iː/ in some speakers; rhoticity affects only the /r/ domain, which is not prominent in concessions. AU often features broader vowels and a less prominent /z/ voice on the final syllable. Overall, the core /ˈsɛʃ/ remains consistent, with minor vowel timing and linking variations across regions.
The challenge lies in the cluster /ˈsɛʃ/ containing the /ʃ/ sound immediately after /s/, which can blur, and the final /ənz/ where the schwa must be short and the nasal + z should be crisp. Also, the plural -ions ending can be mispronounced as /-ɪənz/ or /-iənz/. You’ll hear it as /ˈsɛʃənz/ in rapid speech if you’re not careful. Practice distinguishing /ˈsɛʃ/ from /ˈsɛs/ and make sure the /ʃ/ is full-blooded.
There are no silent letters in concession or concessions; every letter contributes to the pronunciation. The second syllable contains the /ˈsɛʃ/ cluster with a clear voiceless /ʃ/ and the final -ions combines into /ənz/ with a voiced z. A common slip is reducing the /ˈsɛʃ/ to a simple /ˈsɛs/ or dropping the /ʃ/ sound in fast speech. Keeping the /ʃ/ audible is key.
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US: rhoticity affects only ‘r’; concessions has no /r/, but US speakers may link the /n/ to the following vowel in connected speech. UK: non-rhotic; the final /z/ may be slightly devoiced in careful speech; Australian: vowels can be broader, the /ɪ/ in /ˈsɛʃ/ may be realized closer to /e/ or /ɛ/. Always keep /ʃ/ strong across all accents; ensure the /z/ remains voiceless or voiced depending on surrounding sounds. IPA references: US /kənˈsɛʃənz/, UK /kənˈsɛs.ɪ.ənz/, AU /kənˈsɛʃənz/.
Concessions comes from the Latin concessio, meaning a yielding or granting, derived from the verb concedere, meaning to give up, grant, or yield. The Latin root com- (together) and considere (to yield or decide) converge to express the act of yielding. The word entered English through Old French as concession, with the plural concessions appearing in the late Middle English period as legal and political language expanded. Initially used in legal contexts to denote formal grants or relaxations, it broadened to general usage describing any act of yielding or granting privileges. Over time, the sense evolved to include both the acknowledgement of other arguments in debates and the granting of allowances or exceptions within negotiated agreements. The term’s first known uses appear in medieval and Renaissance-era treaty texts and legal charters, where concessions often delineated specific compromises among parties. Today, concessions are a common feature of diplomacy, bargaining, contracts, and policy discussions, signaling negotiated give-and-take rather than absolute stances.
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Words that rhyme with "concessions"
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