3 syllables: con, vic, ted. Stress on vic.
kuhn-VIK-tuhd
/kəˈnvɪktəd/
convicted is pronounced kuhn-VIK-tuhd (/kəˈnvɪktəd/). It has three syllables (con-vic-ted), with the stress on "vic". Convicted is an adjective or verb form describing someone found guilty in a court of law. It denotes the condition of having been judged to have committed a crime, often leading to a formal sentence. The term emphasizes a legally established guilt, rather than mere suspicion. It is commonly used in legal, journalism, and formal contexts.
Convicted is an adjective or verb form describing someone found guilty in a court of law. It denotes the condition of having been judged to have committed a crime, often leading to a formal sentence. The term emphasizes a legally established guilt, rather than mere suspicion. It is commonly used in legal, journalism, and formal contexts.
- You might misplace the stress: say con-VIC-ted instead of the correct con-VIC-ted with strong stress on VIC. Make sure the stressed syllable carries the vowel /ɪ/ clearly. - The /t/ and /d/ cluster at the end can be reduced in rapid speech; practice releasing the /t/ fully into /ɪd/ so you hear the final /d/ clearly. - The first syllable often reduces to /kən/; avoid trying to lengthen it; keep it short and unstressed, so the second syllable stands out. - Watch out for blending: in fast speech you’ll hear /ˌkɒnˈvɪktɪd/ in some accents; aim for the standard /kənˈvɪk.tɪd/ with a strong second syllable.
"The convicted felon was sentenced to ten years in prison."
"A deeply convicted criminal appealed the verdict."
"She presented evidence of a mentally ill defendant who had not been convicted."
Pronounce as kən-VIK-tɪd. The main stress is on the second syllable, with a short, clipped t after the vowel sound in ’vic’ and a schwa-like vowel in the first syllable. IPA: US/UK/AU: /kənˈvɪk.tɪd/. The final -ed is pronounced as a separate /ɪd/ cluster because the root ends with a /t/ sound.
Common errors include misplacing the stress (pronouncing con-VICK-ted) and running the /t/ and /d/ together as a flat /d/ or /t/ without the /ɪd/ ending. Another frequent error is using a full, strong vowel in the second syllable instead of the reduced /ɪ/. To correct: ensure /ˈvɪk/ has a crisp vowel, pause before /tɪd/ so the /t/ is released, and finish with a clear /ɪd/.
In US, UK, and AU, the core /kənˈvɪk.tɪd/ pattern remains, but rhythm and vowel length vary. US tends toward a slightly faster, more reduced first syllable and a crisper /tɪd/; UK may exercise slightly clearer enunciation of the /t/ and a touch more rounded /ɒ/ before or after the vowel in connected speech (though /ɪ/ is standard). Australian English often features a more centralized vowel quality in /ɪ/ and a more relaxed final consonant cluster in rapid speech.
The difficulty lies in the cluster /vɪk.tɪd/: you must release a clear /k/ before a voiceless stop /t/ and then attach the /ɪd/ ending. The weak first syllable with /kən/ challenges non-stressful pronunciation, and the /t/ must be lightly released so the following /ɪd/ doesn’t blur. The combination of alveolar /t/ plus /ɪd/ can lead to flapping in some dialects, which subtly changes the ending sound.
The -ed ending in convicted is pronounced as /ɪd/ due to the preceding /t/ sound ending the root syllable. This is a classic example of a d- or t-ending after a stressed syllable that creates a distinct /ɪd/ sequence. The tendency to run /tɪd/ together in fast speech can cause a collapse toward /tɪ/ or /dɪ/ if you’re not mindful of the /d/ release.
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- US: emphasize /ˈvɪk/ with a crisp /k/ release. Use a rapid but clear /tɪd/ end; keep the first syllable short /kən/. - UK: maintain crisp alveolar /t/ release before /ɪd/, with slightly more precise articulation of /ɪ/. - AU: allow a more centralized /ɪ/ and a slightly softer /t/ release; keep stress on VIC but maintain clarity of the final /ɪd/.
Convicted comes from the Latin convictus, meaning ‘living together, banquet, social life,’ from com- ‘together’ + vincere ‘to conquer, overcome.’ The legal sense developed in Early Modern English through French influence (convicter/convict) and entered English in the realm of law by the 15th–16th centuries. Historically, to convict was to declare someone guilty, typically after a formal trial; the adjective form convicted emerged to describe a person who has been judged guilty. Over time, the word broadened beyond strictly courtroom use to any assertion of guilt or firm belief, often in moral or personal contexts. First known uses appear in legal documents of medieval Europe; by the 16th century, convict as a verb was regularized in English law. In contemporary usage, convicted is most often used to describe someone who has undergone a legal process and received a formal verdict of guilt, though it can appear in idiomatic phrases that imply certainty or firm belief about wrongdoing.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "convicted" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "convicted"
-ted sounds
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