2 syllables: Con, test. Stress on Con.
KAHN-test
/ˈkɑntɛst/
Contest is pronounced KAHN-test (/ˈkɑntɛst/). It has two syllables (Con-test), with the stress on "Con". Contest (noun): a formal event or competition where participants contend to win. The word can also describe the act of disputing something. It stresses the first syllable and typically functions as a single, closed, two-syllable word in American and British English. Its meaning shifts with context, from a competitive arena to a formal challenge or objection.
nounContest (noun): a formal event or competition where participants contend to win. The word can also describe the act of disputing something. It stresses the first syllable and typically functions as a single, closed, two-syllable word in American and British English. Its meaning shifts with context, from a competitive arena to a formal challenge or objection.
How to Pronounce Contest
"She entered a baking contest to showcase her skills."
"There was a heated contest over who should lead the project."
"The candidate contested the election results in court."
Contest is pronounced with two syllables: /ˈkɒn.tɛst/ in US, UK, and AU accents. Primary stress is on the first syllable: CON-test. The first vowel is the short o as in 'cot,' followed by a clear 'n' before the stressed short e, which sounds like 'eh' as in 'pet.' The final 'st' is a crisp cluster. Practice by saying CON- and then t-ɛst quickly together, ensuring the 't' is not swallowed. IPA: US /ˈkɒn.tɛst/, UK /ˈkɒn.tɛst/, AU /ˈkɒn.tɛst/.
Common errors: 1) Slurring the t-sound and producing /t/ as a soft flap; ensure a clear /t/ at the end. 2) Misplacing stress, saying con-REST instead of CON-test; keep primary stress on the first syllable. 3) Merging vowels into /oʊ/ or /oʱ/ rather than the correct short /ɒ/ in the first vowel and /ɛ/ in the second; practice with controlled vowel isolation. Correct by: exaggerating the first syllable pressure, enunciating /ɒ/ then a crisp /t/ and /ɛ/ followed by /st/.
US/UK/AU share CON-test, with primary stress on the first syllable. The main differences lie in vowel quality: US /ˈkɒn.tɛst/ often has a more open /ɒ/ as in 'cot,' while some UK pronunciations may slightly raise /ɒ/ in rapid speech; AU tends toward non-rhoticity in other words, but for contest the /t/ and /ɪ/ patterns align closely with US/UK. Overall, the critical differences are subtle and center on diphthongization in surrounding vowels and the exact length of the first vowel. IPA references: US /ˈkɒn.tɛst/, UK /ˈkɒn.tɛst/, AU /ˈkɒn.tɛst/.
The difficulty lies in articulating the two-syllable rhythm with a clear syllable boundary and a crisp final /st/. The first syllable uses a short fronted vowel /ɒ/ that can be mispronounced as /ɒː/ or /ɒɪ/; the second syllable hinges on /tɛ/ followed by a consonant cluster /st/—the t and s blending can reduce crispness. Producing the exact short-vowel /ɒ/ before /n/ and keeping a strong /t/ can feel awkward, especially in fast speech.
Contest has no silent letters; the 't' is pronounced in the coda cluster /tɛst/. The challenge is maintaining crisp /t/ and /st/ together without t-voicing. Some speakers may undesirably link or reduce the /t/ in rapid speech, indicating a need for a deliberate pause between the stressed syllable and the final cluster. Emphasize the release of /t/ and the clean /st/ sequence to avoid slurring.
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Contest comes from the Latin contestus, meaning 'a fight, struggle, or dispute,' derived from con- 'together' and testare 'to bear witness, to try.' The term traveled into Old French as conteste and into Middle English as contesten, retaining the dual sense of contest as both a fight and a challenge. By the 14th century, contest referred to both a formal challenge or competition and a dispute between parties. The modern usage distinguishes between a competitive event (contest) and the act of challenging or arguing (to contest). The shift from physical to rhetorical and legal spheres reflects broader social practices—formalized competitions and disputes became common in courts, academies, and entertainment, shaping the noun’s core sense as a structured challenge or impromptu dispute. First known use in English dates to the 14th century, with Medieval Latin and Old French predecessors contributing to its semantic depth of contest as struggle, competition, and objection. Over time, the word broadened semantically to cover both organized events and the act of challenging or disputing rights, rules, or outcomes across legal, political, and social contexts. Contemporary usage frequently relies on whether context signals a competitive event or a dispute, and pronunciation remains stable across dialects, with primary stress on the first syllable (CON-test).
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Contest" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Contest"
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