4 syllables: con, fis, ca, tion. Stress on ca.
kahn-fuh-SKAY-shuhn
/ˌkɑnfəˈskeɪʃən/
confiscation is pronounced kahn-fuh-SKAY-shuhn (/ˌkɑnfəˈskeɪʃən/). It has four syllables (con-fis-ca-tion), with the stress on "ca". Confiscation is the act of taking something into legal possession, typically by authority such as a government or court. It involves the formal seizure of property or assets, often as punishment or to secure compliance. The term emphasizes official, legal action rather than voluntary surrender, and is commonly used in law, policy, and criminal justice contexts.
Confiscation is the act of taking something into legal possession, typically by authority such as a government or court. It involves the formal seizure of property or assets, often as punishment or to secure compliance. The term emphasizes official, legal action rather than voluntary surrender, and is commonly used in law, policy, and criminal justice contexts.
"The confiscation of guns followed the new safety orders."
"During the raid, authorities issued a notice of confiscation for all unregistered equipment."
"The confiscation of the counterfeit merchandise crippled the seller’s operation."
Pronounce as kən-FIS-kay-shən with the primary stress on the third syllable ‘FIS’. IPA US: /ˌkɑːn.fɪs.ˈkeɪ.ʃən/ or /ˌkɒn.fɪs.ˈkeɪ.ʃən/ depending on speaker. For clarity: con- (unstressed), fis (stressed), ca- (unstressed), tion (ən). Tip: end with a soft schwa + n starting with a light /ʃ/ before the final /ən/. Audio reference: you can compare with recordings on Forvo or YouGlish under ‘confiscation’.
Common errors: misplacing the stress on the wrong syllable (e.g., con-FIS-ca-tion vs. CON-fis-ca-tion); pronouncing the second vowel as a pure /ɪ/ in all positions instead of a reduced schwa in the middle syllables; and over-emphasizing the final -tion as /-ʃən/ with a hard t-to-n transition. Corrections: keep primary stress on the third syllable, produce a light, unstressed first syllable with /kən/ or /kɒn/, and use a soft /ʃən/ for the final. Practice with minimal pairs like “confiscate” vs “confiscation” to keep the /eɪ/ diphthong accurate in the third syllable.
US tends to colonize the /ˌkɑn.fɪs.kəˈeɪ.ʃən/ with rhotacized or non-rhotacized variations depending on region; UK often favors /ˌkɒn.fɪs.kəˈeɪ.ʃən/ with non-rhoticity and a clearer /ɒ/; Australian keeps a similar structure but with broader vowels, often /ˌkɒn.fɪs.kəˈɪː.ʃən/ in some streams. Across accents, the main differences lie in the vowel qualities for the first syllable and the /eɪ/ in the third; the stress pattern remains locked on the fourth syllable “ca-tion” with secondary emphasis earlier. Compare audio examples across US/UK/AU dictionaries to feel the subtle vowel shifts.
The difficulty stems from the multi-syllabic structure with three consecutive consonant clusters (nf, sk, sh) and a long, stressed central syllable. The /ˌkɒn.fɪs.kəˈeɪ.ʃən/ sequence demands precise articulation: the /k/ cluster at the start, the /f/ followed by a weak /ɪ/ in the middle, then a clear /eɪ/ diphthong and a final /ʃən/. People often misplace stress or shorten consonants, muting the final /ʃən/. Practice with segment drills and listening to native models to stabilize rhythm and ensure the /ʃ/ before the final /ən/ is audible.
There are no silent letters in confiscation; every letter contributes to the syllable structure. The word contains a few subtle pronunciation pitfalls—notably the unstressed schwa in the first syllable and the /eɪ/ diphthong in the third and the final /ʃən/ cluster—but all letters participate in the pronunciation.
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Confiscation comes from the Latin confiscare, meaning to condemn or to seize, which itself derives from con- (with, thoroughly) and fiscare (to confiscate), related to fiscus meaning a treasury or purse. The form entered English via Old French confiscation and Latin statutes likely through medieval legal language. The original sense in Latin implied confiscation as a public act of divesting property tied to criminal or fiscal penalties. Over centuries, the word retained its formal, legal connotation, shifting from a broad seizure to a precise, authorized act. In late Middle English, confiscation appeared in jurisprudence and public law texts, reinforcing its association with official acts performed by authorities. By the modern era, confiscation became a standard legal term across common law jurisdictions, describing government seizure of assets for due process, regulatory enforcement, or punitive measures. First known uses trace to texts discussing penalties and property rights, with an expanded, codified meaning in 16th- to 19th-century statutes, reflecting the consolidation of state power in civil and criminal matters. As global legal systems evolved, the concept adapted to various domains, including customs, war, and criminal enforcement, while maintaining its central idea: a formal, authorized seizure sanctioned by law.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "confiscation" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "confiscation"
-ion sounds
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