2 syllables: cut, ting. Stress on cut.
KUHT-ing
/ˈkʌtɪŋ/
cutting is pronounced KUHT-ing (/ˈkʌtɪŋ/). It has two syllables (cut-ting), with the stress on "cut". Cutting is the act or process of making an incision or removal with a sharp instrument. It can refer to medical procedures, fabricating materials, or metaphorically to urgent, decisive action. The word also functions as an adjective in phrases like cutting edge, indicating sharpness or progress.
Cutting is the act or process of making an incision or removal with a sharp instrument. It can refer to medical procedures, fabricating materials, or metaphorically to urgent, decisive action. The word also functions as an adjective in phrases like cutting edge, indicating sharpness or progress.
- You’ll often replace the /ʌ/ with a more closed vowel in rapid speech, making it sound like /ˈkɒt.ɪŋ/; keep your jaw lowered for /ʌ/ as in 'cup'. - The /t/ can become a flap or be lightly released; aim for a firm, crisp /t/ before the /ɪ/. - The final /ŋ/ can be nasalized or truncated when speech is fast; keep the velar place of articulation at the soft palate and finish with a clear /ŋ/.
"The surgeon performed a precise cutting to remove the lesion."
"He bought cutting tools for the metalwork project."
"Her cutting remarks left the room in stunned silence."
Pronounce as two syllables: /ˈkʌt.ɪŋ/. The primary stress is on the first syllable: CUT-ting. Start with the /k/ stop, then the open-mid back unrounded /ʌ/ as in 'cup', then /t/ with a light release, followed by /ɪ/ as in 'kit', and finish with /ŋ/ (velar nasal) with the tongue raised toward the soft palate. A smooth link between /t/ and /ɪŋ/ helps avoid a clipped second syllable. Audio references: Cambridge or Oxford dictionaries provide native-speaker pronunciations you can imitate.
Common errors: (1) Pronouncing as one syllable: /ˈkʌtɪŋ/ with a reduced vowel or collapsing /tɪŋ/; (2) An overtly aspirated /t/ in rapid speech leading to an unnecessary pause or ‘t’ release; (3) Slurring the /t/ into the /ɪ/ making it sound like /kʌtɪŋ/ or /ˈkʌtˌɪŋ/. Corrections: ensure clear /t/ separation before the /ɪ/; relax the tongue for the /ɪ/ to avoid a heavy diphthong; practice with minimal pairs like cut-king to feel the pause and transition.
In US/UK/AU, the pronunciation remains /ˈkʌt.ɪŋ/ for most speakers, but vowel quality in /ʌ/ can vary: US often has a more centralized /ʌ/ in some dialects, UK may have a tighter jaw and slightly clipped /t/ in rapid speech, and AU may show a more even, wider mouth opening with less vowel reduction. The final /ŋ/ rarely changes. Accent differences may also reflect a more flapped or lenited /t/ in casual US speech as /ɾ/ in some words, but with careful speech it remains /t/ in cutting.
The difficulty lies in the rapid sequence /t/ + /ɪ/ + /ŋ/, requiring precise tongue transition from a dental-alveolar stop to a high front lax vowel and then a velar nasal. Some speakers blend /t/ into a flap or elide the /ɪ/ in fast speech, which dulls the contrast. Additionally, the /ʌ/ vowel can vary in height or quality, affecting the initial syllable’s clarity. Focused practice on the /tɪŋ/ cluster and clear lip/jaw positioning helps stabilize pronunciation.
The /t/ in cutting is pronounced; it is a separate alveolar stop before the /ɪ/ in the /tɪŋ/ sequence. It is usually released rather than silent, except in some rapid casual speech where a light touch may produce a quick, almost glottal stop before the /ɪ/. In careful speech, you will clearly articulate /t/: /ˈkʌt.ɪŋ/ with a crisp transitional release.
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- US: /ˈkʌt.ɪŋ/ with a more open /ʌ/; ensure the /t/ is clearly released and not coalesced. - UK: /ˈkʌt.ɪŋ/ with potentially a more clipped /t/ in faster speech; maintain a clear boundary between /t/ and /ɪŋ/. - AU: /ˈkʌt.ɪŋ/ similar to US/UK but often with less vowel reduction in stressed syllables; keep vowel quality bright and the /ŋ/ steady. Reference IPA for each: US /ˈkʌt.ɪŋ/, UK /ˈkʌt.ɪŋ/, AU /ˈkʌt.ɪŋ/.
The verb cutting derives from Old English cweotan (to strike, cut) and Proto-Germanic *kutjanan, related to cutting and incising actions. The noun cutting emerges in Middle English as a process or action of cutting, with increasingly specialized senses in crafts, surgery, and metaphorical uses. Through the medieval period, cutting referred to surgical incisions, fabric cutting for tailoring, and weapons or tool-making where sharp edges defined function. The metaphorical extension to “cutting edge” to denote sharpness and innovation emerged in the 19th and 20th centuries, aligning with industrial and scientific progress. By the 20th century, cutting had broadened to include figurative uses like “cutting costs” or “cutting remarks,” maintaining its core sense of decisive, precise alteration or division. First known written attestations appear in medical and craftsman texts, then increasingly in general English literature as both a noun and present participle, reflecting the action as well as the result of that action.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "cutting" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "cutting" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "cutting"
-ing sounds
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