3 syllables: Con, dem, ning. Stress on dem.
kuhn-DEM-ing
/kəˈndɛmɪŋ/
Condemning is pronounced kuhn-DEM-ing (/kəˈndɛmɪŋ/). It has three syllables (Con-dem-ning), with the stress on "dem". Condemning is the act of expressing strong disapproval or censure, often publicly, and often implying judgment about a person, action, or behavior. In grammar, it can function as a present participle or gerund in predicate or noun roles, conveying ongoing or general criticism. The term carries a formal or accusatory tone and is frequently used in ethical, political, or legal contexts.
nounCondemning is the act of expressing strong disapproval or censure, often publicly, and often implying judgment about a person, action, or behavior. In grammar, it can function as a present participle or gerund in predicate or noun roles, conveying ongoing or general criticism. The term carries a formal or accusatory tone and is frequently used in ethical, political, or legal contexts.
- You often misplace stress by saying con-DEM-ning with the stress on the first syllable, which incorrectly conveys meaning or tone. - You may elongate the middle vowel /ɛm/ or mispronounce it as /eɪ/; keep it short and crisp, like the vowel in 'men'. - Final -ing can be pronounced as /ɪn/ or with a full vowel; aim for a reduced, quick /-ɪŋ/ to sound natural in fluent speech. - Consonant transitions are critical: ensure /d/ and /m/ are distinct; avoid slurring them together into /dm/ or replacing with a simpler /d/.
"The speaker was condemning the policies without offering alternatives."
"She issued a condemnation of the ruling and called for reform."
"The sermon focused on condemning violence in all its forms."
Pronounced kən-DEM-ing with primary stress on the second syllable. IPA US: kənˈdɛm.ɪŋ; UK: kənˈdɛm.ɪŋ; AU: kənˈdem.ɪŋ. Start with a schwa in the first syllable, then a clear /ˈdɛm/ with the vowel as in 'dample' (short e as in 'met'), and finish with an unstressed '-ing' /-ɪŋ/. Keep the lips relaxed in the initial syllable, then bring the tongue to a mid-front position for /ɛm/ before rounding slightly into /ɪŋ/.
Common errors: (1) Stress misplacement, saying con-DEM-ning with wrong emphasis, which weakens the critical tone. (2) Vowel quality, using a lax /e/ like 'kənˈdɛmɪŋ' or a longer /eː/; keep the short /ɛ/ as in 'bed'. (3) Final -ing confusion, pronouncing /ɪn/ instead of /ɪŋ/, or adding a full vowel before the final nasal. Corrections: emphasize the second syllable with a short, crisp /ɛm/, reduce the final vowel to a quick /ɪŋ/, and avoid an extra syllable sound before /ŋ/. Practice: kən-DEM-sing with the 'sing' reduced to /-ɪŋ/.
In US, UK, and AU, the initial /kən/ is similar; main differences lie in rhotics and vowel quality. US often rhymes 'DEM' with a tighter /ɛm/ and a rhotic r-color in certain speakers, though not in this word. UK typically maintains non-rhoticity; the /r/ is not pronounced, and /ɪŋ/ ends with a crisp nasal. AU tends toward similar vowel vowels as UK but with slight vowel merger tendencies and stronger non-rhotic tendencies in casual speech. Across all, stress remains on the second syllable: kən-DEM-ing.
Because the word combines unstressed initial syllable, a strong mid syllable with /ɛm/, and a trailing -ing that often reduces in connected speech. The /d/ and /m/ sequences require precise tongue placement to avoid flapping or nasalization, and many speakers revoice the /ɪ/ before the /ŋ/ depending on speed. The challenge is balancing clear syllabic stress ( DEM ) with quick, natural -ing ending, while preserving a clean /d/ and preventing vowel reduction in casual speech.
The prefix typically reduces to a schwa in casual speech. In careful enunciation, you’ll say kən-DEM-ing, with a reduced first syllable /kən/. In fast speech, it can dip to a lighter /kən/ or even /kən/, but you should avoid fully pronouncing a separate /ko/ or /kon/. The key is maintaining the stress on DEM while keeping the first syllable short and unstressed.
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- US: keep non-rhotic tendencies minimal in neutral speech; ensure /ˈdɛm/ is crisp. - UK: maintain non-rhotic /r/ absence; emphasize /dɛm/ with slightly longer vowel; final /-ɪŋ/ remains light and nasal. - AU: similar to UK; watch vowel lengths, and avoid overly rounded lips in /ɛm/ for a flatter vowel. IPA references: US kənˈdɛm.ɪŋ, UK kənˈdem.ɪŋ, AU kənˈdem.ɪŋ.
Condemning derives from the verb condemn, from Middle English condemnen, from Old French condenmer, which itself came from Latin condemnare (con- ‘with’ + damnare ‘to condemn, damn’). The Latin damnare meant to condemn, to sentence, or to damn; its root damn- relates to judgment and moral censure. The suffix -ing marks the present participle/gerund form in English, used to describe ongoing action or a state associated with an action. The earliest known use in English language sources dates to the 14th century, expanding in the 16th–18th centuries as legal and moral discourse intensified in literature and political commentary. Over time, condemn evolved to a broader social critique, while condemned and condemning emerged as standard forms in both everyday and formal registers. The participle form cond emning appears in modern usage to denote ongoing disapproval, frequently in political, ethical, or religious rhetoric. The modern sense maintains the weight of moral judgment embedded in its Latin root, while shifting to more conversational or journalistic contexts in contemporary English.
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Words that rhyme with "Condemning"
-ing sounds
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