5 syllables: con, sec, u, tive, ly. Stress on sec.
kuhn-SEK-yuh-tiv-lee
/kəˈnsɛkjətɪvli/
consecutively is pronounced kuhn-SEK-yuh-tiv-lee (/kəˈnsɛkjətɪvli/). It has five syllables (con-sec-u-tive-ly), with the stress on "sec". Consecutively means in a sequence where items follow one after another without interruption. It describes events occurring in a continuous, unbroken succession, typically with no gaps or overlaps. The term is often used in mathematics, logic, and description of ordered processes or events.
Consecutively means in a sequence where items follow one after another without interruption. It describes events occurring in a continuous, unbroken succession, typically with no gaps or overlaps. The term is often used in mathematics, logic, and description of ordered processes or events.
- You will commonly mispronounce by stressing the wrong syllable. Focus: the primary stress is on the /ˈkjuː/ syllable (the third syllable) and not on the initial con- or the -ly ending. - Don’t turn the /t/ into a soft d or omit it; you need a clear release before the /li/.
"The numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4 were enumerated consecutively."
"She spoke for two hours consecutively, without pausing."
"The project progressed consecutively through design, development, and testing."
Pronunciation: /ˌkɒn.sɪˈkjuːt.li/ (US/UK). Place emphasis on the /ˈkjuː/ syllable. Start with /kɒn/ (con as in ‘con’), then /sɪ/ (si as in ‘sit’), then /ˈkjuː/ (cue) as the stressed syllable, and end with /t.li/ (te-ly). Keep the /t/ crisp before the /li/ glide; in rapid speech, the /t/ can be lightly released. You’ll hear the “cue” chunk clearly as a single syllable, followed by “t-lee.” Audio reference: compare at Forvo or YouGlish using phrases like “consecutively numbered” to hear natural usage.
Common mistakes include misplacing the stress (e.g., stressing the first or second syllable instead of the third), pronouncing the /kj/ as two separate consonants (/k j/ with a rare hiatus), and softening the /t/ before /li/ (making ‘t’ disappear). A precise correction: maintain primary stress on the /ˈkjuː/ segment, articulate the /t/ clearly before /li/, and ensure the /n/ and /s/ blend smoothly into the /k/ of the /kjuː/ cluster without inserting extra vowels. Practice saying “con-sih-KYOO-tlee” with attention to the glide.
In US, UK, and AU accents, the core sequence /ˌkɒn.sɪˈkjuːt.li/ remains, but rhoticity subtly affects the /ɒ/ in ‘con’ (US often slightly more back and rounded), while UK and AU tend to a clearer /ɒ/ or /ɒ/ depending on RP vs General Australian. The /tj/ blend in /kjuː/ remains as a palatal approximant-vowel sequence; some speakers realize the /t/ as a tap [ɾ] in very rapid speech, which can blur into /d/. Vowel reduction in unstressed syllables may occur in casual speech, but the stressed /ˈkjuː/ remains prominent across regions.
The difficulty centers on the multi-syllabic stress pattern and the /nɪ/ vs /sɪ/ sequence, followed by the /ˈkjuː/ syllable—where the /j/ glide blends into a long /uː/. The /t/ before /li/ must be clearly released; otherwise, it blends into the following syllable, reducing clarity. Also, the /k/ transition into /s/ can cause slight coarticulation challenges for non-native speakers. Focusing on the strong secondary stress before the final syllable helps maintain rhythm and clarity.
No silent letters in consecutively. Every letter participates in pronunciation: the initial /k/ sound from the ‘con-’ part, the /n/ and /s/ in the middle, the /ɪ/ vowel, the /k/ of the /-kjuː-/ sequence, the /t/ before the final /li/.
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US/UK/AU: - US tends toward slightly flatter vowels and stronger rhoticity on other words; with consecutively, the /ɒ/ in con- often sounds a bit more rounded in UK and AU; - UK tends to clearer enunciation of /ɒ/ and the /juː/ as a longer, more rounded vowel; - AU tends toward a slightly more centralized vowel sound in the first syllable; in all, keep the /ˈkjuː/ chunk crisply; - IPA references: US /ˌkɒn.sɪˈkjuːt.li/; UK /ˌkɒn.sɪˈkjuːt.li/; AU /ˌkɒn.sɪˈkjuːt.li/.
Consecutively comes from the Latin consecutus, past participle of consequi, meaning to follow closely or to attain. The root con- (together) + sequ- (to follow) appears in many English words like consequence, sequence, and subsequent. The English adoption began in the late Middle Ages through French influence, with later amplification in scientific and mathematical vocabulary as thinkers described ordered processes. The word entered common usage in the 17th–18th centuries, aligning with formal logic, mathematical series, and procedural descriptions. The sense of “in a row, in order, without interruption” solidified as disciplines emphasized stepwise progression. First known attestations appear in scholarly writings of the early modern period, where authors described events occurring in a contiguous, ordered manner, such as successive steps or stages that follow one another without gaps.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "consecutively" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "consecutively" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "consecutively"
-tly sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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