2 syllables: con, densed. Stress on densed.
kuhn-DENST
/kəˈndɛnst/
condensed is pronounced kuhn-DENST (/kəˈndɛnst/). It has two syllables (con-densed), with the stress on "densed". Condensed describes something made more compact or concentrated, often by removing excess detail. It also refers to a liquid that has been reduced in volume by evaporation. In usage, it can describe a summary, a shortened form, or a substance that has been thickened or concentrated. The term implies efficiency, brevity, and heightened density of content or form.
Condensed describes something made more compact or concentrated, often by removing excess detail. It also refers to a liquid that has been reduced in volume by evaporation. In usage, it can describe a summary, a shortened form, or a substance that has been thickened or concentrated. The term implies efficiency, brevity, and heightened density of content or form.
- You’ll often race the stress to the first syllable or flatten the /ɪ/ in the final syllable; slow down the middle to ensure /dɛn/ is prominent. - People frequently voice the final /d/ too strongly or drop it, producing /kənˈdɛnst/; keep a short, discrete final /d/. - Another common error is a loose /t/—let the /st/ blend slightly, but land the /t/ crisply before the final /ɪd/; practice with slow-motion drills and proper voicing.
"The meeting produced a condensed report that highlighted the key findings."
"She wore a condensed version of the program, focusing only on core activities."
"The scientist condensed the solution to increase its concentration."
Pronounce as /kənˈdɛn.stɪd/ in US and UK variants, with the main stress on the second syllable: con-DEN-sted. The first syllable is a weak schwa /kən/, the middle syllable carries the primary stress, and the final /stɪd/ ends with a light -ed. Mouth positions: start with relaxed lips for /kən/, then raise the tongue to the alveolar /dɛn/ with crisp /d/ release, and finish with a light /stɪd/ cluster. In casual speech, the /t/ can soften to a flap, giving /kənˈdɛnɾɪd/ in very rapid speech.”,
Common errors: 1) Misplacing stress on the first syllable (caN‑dense) when the stress should be on the second (conDEN-sted). 2) Slurring the /d/ into /n/ or mispronouncing the final /d/ as a soft vowel; keep a crisp alveolar /d/ and a clear /d/ release after /st/. 3) Overpronouncing the /ɪ/ in the final syllable; aim for a short, clipped /ɪ/ rather than a full vowel. Practice with minimal pairs and slow syllable isolation to drill the /dɛn/ nucleus and the /stɪd/ ending.”,
US: /kənˈdɛn.stɪd/ with a rhotic /r/ absent here; the /ɪ/ in the final syllable is short. UK: similar /kənˈdɛn.stɪd/ but vowels may be slightly tenser in the /e/ quality; non-rhoticity affects linked forms in connected speech. AU: often feature a more open /ɛ/ in /ˈdɛn/ and a slightly longer /ɪ/ in the final syllable in careful speech; connected speech may smooth the /t/ to a tap. All share the stress on the second syllable; regional vowels influence subtle quality differences, not the core structure.”,
Key challenges include coordinating a stressed syllable with a consonant cluster: the /d/ + /st/ can become tricky in fast speech, potentially yielding a /t/ or eliding sound. The middle /ɛn/ requires a bright, short vowel that contrasts with the reduced first syllable /kən/. Additionally, ending with /d/ after /st/ may cause voicing blending; keep the /d/ voiceless at the end and avoid a prolonged vowel. Practicing slow, deliberate articulation helps stabilize the cluster and stress pattern.”,
The word carries a three-consonant sequence at the end (st + d) that can tempt learners to vocalize a separate vowel or to devoice the final /d/. The correct articulation keeps /st/ as a single consonant cluster before the final /d/, with a clear /ɪ/ in the final syllable. Paying attention to the transition from /st/ into the final /d/ helps maintain a crisp, natural sound in all accents. IPA cue: /kənˈdɛn.stɪd/.
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- US: rhoticity is not a factor here; focus on the strong secondary stress on the second syllable and the tight /stɪd/ ending. - UK: slight vowel hairlines; maintain clear /ɛ/ in /dɛn/ with slightly crisper /t/ release before the final /ɪd/. - AU: tends toward a broader vowel for /ɛ/ and lighter final /d/, with more syllable-timed rhythm; keep the /ɪ/ short and the /t/ clean in careful speech. All: keep the primary stress on DEN, and ensure the /d/-/ɪ/ sequence remains tightly linked.”,
Condensed comes from the Latin con- (together, with) and densare (to make dense), via the past participle densatus. The root dens- meaning “to make dense” traces to Latin densus. The English form appeared in the 16th century, with early senses tied to making something dense or compact, such as a physical substance becoming thicker or a text becoming shorter by removing extraneous material. By the 19th century, condensed took on broader metaphorical uses—summarized information or concentrated states—retaining the core sense of density and compression. The word’s evolution mirrors the shift from material densification to informational densification: from a physically thick or thickened liquid to a densely packed summary or abbreviated form. Modern usage spans science (condensed matter, condensates), food (condensed milk), and communications (condensed version of a report). First known use in English appears in early modern scientific and descriptive writing, with examples showing both literal density and figurative brevity as its meanings expanded over time.
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Words that rhyme with "condensed"
-ded sounds
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