4 syllables: con, glom, er, ates. Stress on glom.
kuhn-GLAH-muh-ruhts
/kənˈɡlɑmərəts/
conglomerates is pronounced kuhn-GLAH-muh-ruhts (/kənˈɡlɑmərəts/). It has four syllables (con-glom-er-ates), with the stress on "glom". Conglomerates are large companies composed of diverse, often unrelated subsidiaries or divisions. The term emphasizes a multi-branch corporate structure formed through acquisition, mergers, or diversification, typically aimed at spreading risk and increasing market reach. In usage, it often describes a corporate entity rather than a single firm and carries a formal, business-register tone.
Conglomerates are large companies composed of diverse, often unrelated subsidiaries or divisions. The term emphasizes a multi-branch corporate structure formed through acquisition, mergers, or diversification, typically aimed at spreading risk and increasing market reach. In usage, it often describes a corporate entity rather than a single firm and carries a formal, business-register tone.
- You may misplace stress by overemphasizing the first or third syllable. Practice by clapping to two beats on the stressed syllable: con-GLO-me-rates. - The /ɡl/ cluster can blur; ensure a clean connection between /ɡ/ and /l/; avoid adding a vowel between them. - Final /reɪts/ can be shortened in rapid speech; keep the /eɪ/ clear and avoid devoicing of the final /s/.
"The conglomerates expanded into new industries after several mergers."
"Analysts noted that the conglomerates’ diversified portfolios reduced overall risk."
"Regulators scrutinized the conglomerates for antitrust concerns after the merger."
Stress falls on the second syllable: con-GLO-me-rates, with a secondary beat at the third. Phonetically in IPA US: /ˈkɑŋ.ɡlə.məˌreɪts/. UK: /ˈkɒŋɡ.lɒ.məˌreɪts/; AU: /ˈkɒŋ.ɡləˌmeɪts/. Focus on clear /ɡ/ and the late diphthong /eɪ/ in the final syllable. Mouth positions: start with a broad /k/ + back vowel, then a light /n/ followed by a full /ɡ/ release, /lə/ as a schwa-led syllable, and final /ˌreɪts/ with a clear /eɪ/.
Common errors: (1) misplacing stress, saying con-GLE-ma- rates or con-glom-ER-ates; (2) mispronouncing the /ɡl/ cluster as a separate glide or failing to link /ɡl/ smoothly to the schwa in the second half. Correction: keep the /ɡl/ sequence tight after the initial /k/ and move the /ə/ quickly to the second syllable; (3) mispronouncing /ˌreɪts/ as /ɪts/ or dropping the final /s/ in rapid speech. Practice by exaggerating the middle /ɡlə/ and ensuring the final /reɪts/ is crisp.
In US English, primary stress on the second syllable with /ˈkɑŋ.ɡlə.məˌreɪts/. UK typically shows a tighter /ˈkɒŋ.ɡlə.məˌreɪts/ with non-rhoticity; AU mirrors UK rhythms but with slightly flatter vowels and stronger /t/ or /d/ in some speakers. The /ɡl/ cluster remains intact in all; rhoticity is minimal in UK/AU, more pronounced in some US dialects, though not in this word. Final /reɪts/ remains a clear, elongated syllable in all variants.
Two main challenges: (1) multi-syllabic rhythm with a heavy middle syllable and a lingering /lə/ before the /ˌreɪts/ coda; (2) the /ɡl/ cluster after the initial /k/ can blur in rapid speech, making it easy to misplace the primary stress. Also, the final /reɪts/ can compress, turning into /reɪts/ or /reɪdz/. Tackle by slow pronunciation, ensuring authoritative /ˈkɑŋ.ɡlə.məˌreɪts/ then speed up while keeping the cluster crisp.
The most distinctive feature is the stressed middle–late syllable pattern and the /ɡl/ cluster after the initial consonant. You’ll want to ensure the transition from the /k/ into /ɡlə/ is smooth and the final /ˈreɪts/ is elongated in careful speech. Practice with minimal pairs emphasizing middle syllable clarity, such as con-GLObal vs con-GLO-mer-ates, to lock the rhythm.
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- US: tension on /ˈkɑŋ.ɡlə.məˌreɪts/, rhotic but subtle in some speakers; ensure /ɹ/ is behind the central vowel in American EN. - UK: non-rhotic, /ˈkɒŋ.ɡlə.məˌreɪts/ with clipped final consonants in rapid speech; maintain clear /b/ vowel transitions and avoid overpronouncing final /s/. - AU: similar to UK but with slightly broader vowels; keep /ɒ/ and /ə/ distinct and maintain crisp /ˌreɪts/. Read IPA notes and practice with minimal pairs.”,
Conglomerate derives from the French conglomerer, which means to roll together; itself from Latin com- ‘together’ and glomus ‘ball, lump’. The English term began appearing in the 19th century in geology as a term for a mass or heap, then migrated to business jargon in the mid-20th century to denote a holding of varied companies. The modern corporate sense coalesced in the 1950s–1960s as industrial groups aggressively pursued acquisitions to create diversified, parent-subsidiary structures. The word captures the idea of a single umbrella that aggregates disparate parts, often with separate brands and operations, under one corporate banner. First known uses in business writing appeared in industry reports and economic journalism as conglomerate structures proliferated globally, especially in the United States and Western Europe. Over time, the term has acquired a neutral-to-positive connotation in some contexts (growth and resilience) and a critical one in others (bureaucracy, cross-subsidy concerns).
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Words that rhyme with "conglomerates"
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