2 syllables: Con, crete. Stress on crete.
kuhn-KREET
/kənˈkɹit/
Concrete is pronounced kuhn-KREET (/kənˈkɹit/). It has two syllables (Con-crete), with the stress on "crete". Concrete, when used as an adjective, means something real, tangible, and definite, not theoretical. It contrasts with abstract ideas by emphasizing specifics, facts, or physical evidence. In everyday use, you can refer to a concrete plan or a concrete example to illustrate a point clearly and reliably.
adjectiveConcrete, when used as an adjective, means something real, tangible, and definite, not theoretical. It contrasts with abstract ideas by emphasizing specifics, facts, or physical evidence. In everyday use, you can refer to a concrete plan or a concrete example to illustrate a point clearly and reliably.
- You often misplace the stress and say con-CRETE or con-CRIT. Focus on keeping the first syllable strong: CON-crete. - The transition between /n/ and /k/ in the middle is easy to blur; ensure you clearly release /n/ into /k/. - Final /t/ can be lost in fast speech; practice a crisp, released /t/ to contrast with a silent or glottal stop.
"Her argument was strengthened by concrete evidence from the lab tests."
"We finally made a concrete plan to complete the project by Friday."
"The scientist presented concrete data to support the hypothesis."
US/UK/AU pronunciation centers the first syllable stress: CON-crete. IPA: US /ˈkɑːn.kriːt/ or /ˈkɑːn.krit/; UK /ˈkɒn.kriːt/; AU /ˈkɒn.kriːt/. In clear careful speech, pronounce /ˈkɑːn/ with an open back unrounded vowel for ‘con-’, followed by /kriːt/ as a long vowel in the second syllable. In fast connected speech, avoid t-clustering into a d-like sound; the final /t/ should be a crisp release if final position, or can be unreleased in casual speech. Use a slight pause between syllables when enunciating for clarity in academic contexts.
Common errors: (1) Misplacing stress, saying con-crete as con-CRETE or con-CRIT; keep primary stress on the first syllable /ˈkɑːn/. (2) Conflating the middle 'n' and 'cr' cluster, producing a soft /n/ followed by a weak /kr/; ensure firm /kn/ onset in the second syllable as /kriːt/. (3) Final /t/ absorption as a soft ‘d’ in rapid speech; aim for a clear /t/ release or lightly aspirated /t/ depending on register. Practice by isolating the two syllables and then combining them with a short pause.
US: /ˈkɑːn.kriːt/ with a broad /ɑː/ in the first syllable; UK: /ˈkɒn.kriːt/ with a shorter /ɒ/; AU: /ˈkɒn.kriːt/ similarly compact vowel in the first syllable. All share stress on the first syllable but vowel quality differs: US tends to a deeper back vowel; UK/AU show more centralized /ɒ/. The second syllable features /kriːt/ with a long /iː/ in many dialects; final /t/ is typically released, not glottalized in careful speech. Rhoticity in US doesn’t alter the vowel of the first syllable significantly here, but in some US regional varieties, you may hear a subtle /ɹ/ influence in connected speech.
The difficulty lies in the two-syllable rhythm with initial strong syllable and a consonant cluster between syllables (n + k). The second syllable begins with /k/ plus /r/ blending into /kriːt/ or /krit/; moving from /ˈkɑːn/ to /kriːt/ requires precise tongue advancement and lip rounding for the /o/–/ɔ/ distinction. In some accents, the final /t/ can be unreleased or flapped in casual speech, which masks the crisp consonant needed for clear articulation.
Is the /ɒ/ vs /ɑː/ vowel in 'con-' influenced by whether you’re speaking in a technical vs. everyday context? In careful pronunciation, you’ll typically use the longer American /ˈkɑːn.kriːt/ or British /ˈkɒn.kriːt/ vowel in the first syllable; in quick, informal speech, it can reduce slightly toward /ə/ or a shorter /ɒ/ depending on dialect, but the primary stress and the second syllable’s /kriːt/ should remain clear.
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Concrete comes from the Latin word concretus, meaning compact or condensed. The root con- ‘together’ and -crete derived from creare, meaning to grow or create, but in this context it referred to something formed or solidified. In Middle English, ‘concrete’ began as a noun relating to the mixture of cement and aggregate; by the 18th century, it broadened to describe things that were solid or material. The adjective sense—denoting something substantial or evidence-based—emerged as a metaphorical extension from material to abstract concepts. The modern usage typically contrasts with ‘abstract’ in rhetorical and philosophical contexts, and in building construction, it maintains the sense of a solid, engineered material used for load-bearing structures. First known use as an adjective in English appeared in the 18th century, aligning with the scientific and engineering adoption of the term as a descriptor for tangible, material reality.
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Words that rhyme with "Concrete"
-que sounds
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