3 syllables: con, tra, dicts. Stress on dicts.
kahn-truh-DIKTS
/ˌkɑntɹəˈdɪkts/
contradicts is pronounced kahn-truh-DIKTS (/ˌkɑntɹəˈdɪkts/). It has three syllables (con-tra-dicts), with the stress on "dicts". Contradicts is a verb meaning to assert the opposite of something, or to deny its truth or accuracy. In usage, it often appears with verbs like 'clearly' or 'strongly,' and with statements or theories, indicating inconsistency with what has been stated or believed. The word carries a present-tense third-person singular form 'contradicts' and is commonly used in formal arguments or analyses to challenge claims.
Contradicts is a verb meaning to assert the opposite of something, or to deny its truth or accuracy. In usage, it often appears with verbs like 'clearly' or 'strongly,' and with statements or theories, indicating inconsistency with what has been stated or believed. The word carries a present-tense third-person singular form 'contradicts' and is commonly used in formal arguments or analyses to challenge claims.
"The witness testimony contradicts the defendant's alibi."
"Her data contradicts the initial hypothesis and suggests a different trend."
"The article contradicts the professor's earlier conclusions."
Say /ˌkɑn.trəˈdɪkts/ in US English or /ˌkɒn.trəˈdɪkts/ in UK English. The primary stress is on the third syllable: CONTRA-dicts, with a secondary stress on the first syllable in some rapid speech. The /d/ in didts is a light, crisp consonant cluster before /ts/. Mouth position: start with an open back vowel in the first syllable, then a relaxed schwa in the second, and a clear /d/ plus /ɪ/ before the final /kts/. Listen to native speech for plosive release timing.
Common errors: (1) misplacing the primary stress on the first syllable (con-TRAD-icts). (2) Overpronouncing the final cluster as /-dɪkt-s/ or inserting an extra vowel between /d/ and /kts/. (3) Reducing /trə/ to a quick /trə/ without the intended /ˈdɪkts/ ending. Correction: keep stress on the third syllable, ensure the final /t/ is released crisply into /s/; practice the /dɪkts/ finale as one quick segment.
In US English, the vowel in the second syllable is a weak schwa, and the final cluster /-dɪkts/ tends to be pronounced with a crisp /d/ and an audible /t/ before /s/. UK English retains a similar structure but with a slightly shorter first syllable and less rhoticity influence; Australian pronunciation is closer to US with a flatter /ɒ/ in the first syllable and clear /t/ before /s/. Phoneme timing varies, but the stress pattern remains on the third syllable.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster at the end /-dɪkts/ after an unstressed mid syllable and maintaining the secondary stress on the initial syllable. The combination of a subtle /ə/ (schwa) before a hard /d/ and the rapid /kts/ release can tempt you to skip sounds. Focus on the /trə/ transition and then deliver /ˈdɪkts/ as a tight, swift unit with steady voicing before the /s/.
There are no silent letters in contradicts. Every letter carries a sound in careful pronunciation: /ˌkɑn.trəˈdɪkts/. The confusion often comes from the fast cluster /-dɪkts/ and the reduced vowel in /trə/. Ensure you articulate /t/ and /k/ clearly before the final /ts/ sequence and that the final /s/ is not swallowed.
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US: rhotic, clear /r/ is not present in contradicts; UK/AU: non-rhotic tendencies, longer /ɒ/ or /ɑ/ in the first syllable. IPA cues: US /ˌkɑn.trəˈdɪkts/, UK /ˌkɒn.trəˈdɪkts/, AU /ˌkɒn.trəˈdɪkts/. Key differences: vowel quality in the first syllable (back /ɑ/ vs /ɒ/), linking and intonation. In US, you’ll hear a bit crisper /t/ before /s/; in UK/AU, the /t/ may be softer or flapped in rapid speech, but not swallowed. For rhoticity, US maintains a subtle r-lessness after vowels; in non-rhotic UK/AU contexts, the r is not pronounced unless followed by a vowel. Use IPA as anchor; practice in minimal pairs to feel the contrast: con vs contr/ə/ vs /dɪkts/.
Contradicts comes from the Latin contra- meaning against, and dicere meaning to say or declare. The prefix contra- signals opposition, while the verb -dict is from dicere, “to say.” The combination evolved in English through Old French and Latin scholarly usage, attaching to the sense of “to say against” or “to assert the opposite of.” The form contradicts (present) arose from the Latin root in English with -s to indicate third-person singular present tense. First known uses in English literature reflect formal debate, law, and scholarly argumentation, where to contradict meant to overtly challenge a claim. Over time, the term expanded to general rhetorical challenges beyond formal discourse, maintaining the core sense of opposition to a statement or position. In modern English, it remains a precise verb for indicating inconsistency or opposition in both written and spoken contexts. The word’s semantic load remains tightly coupled to stance-taking, evidence, and the dynamics of argumentation, making it a common choice in logic, science, journalism, and politics.
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Words that rhyme with "contradicts"
-cts sounds
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