2 syllables: dam, age. Stress on dam.
DAM-uhj
/ˈdæmədʒ/
damage is pronounced DAM-uhj (/ˈdæmədʒ/). It has two syllables (dam-age), with the stress on "dam". Damage refers to physical harm that reduces function, usefulness, or value. It can describe ruined objects, injury to living tissue, or detriment to reputational standing. The term encompasses both accidental and intentional harm, and it is used across medical, legal, and everyday contexts to denote impairment or destruction.
Damage refers to physical harm that reduces function, usefulness, or value. It can describe ruined objects, injury to living tissue, or detriment to reputational standing. The term encompasses both accidental and intentional harm, and it is used across medical, legal, and everyday contexts to denote impairment or destruction.
"The farmer reported damage to the crops after the hailstorm."
"A serious data breach caused economic damage to the company."
"The sculpture sustained damage during transport, but was repaired."
Pronounce as /ˈdæ.mɪdʒ/ with primary stress on the first syllable. The first syllable uses /æ/ as in bag, followed by a short /m/ and a voiced postalveolar affricate /dʒ/ as in jam. Ensure the /dʒ/ closes the word cleanly; do not let it coalesce into /tʃ/ or a dull stop. You’ll hear the burst of /dʒ/ before the final nasal /dʒ/ is produced, with a smooth, quick transition between /m/ and /dʒ/.
Common mistakes include misplacing stress (e.g., /ˈdæmɪd/ as DAM-idge) and pronouncing the second syllable as /ɪdʒ/ with a trailing y-glide. Correct versions keep /ˈdæ/ first, /mɪ/ second, and end with the clear /dʒ/. Also beware letting the /dʒ/ sound soften into /dʒdʒ/ or become a vague /ʒ/; keep a crisp, single /dʒ/.
Across accents, the word remains /ˈdæ.mɪdʒ/ in US, UK, and AU. The main differences are vowel subtlety and rhoticity in connected speech: US tends toward a slightly flatter /æ/, UK may have a slightly rounded /æ/ with less vowel height variation in rapid speech, and AU often shares US vowel qualities but may include a near-nonrhotic quality in some speakers. The final /dʒ/ remains voiced and clear in all.”
The challenge lies in the /dʒ/ cluster at the end after a short /ɪ/ vowel. It’s a voiced postalveolar affricate that can blur in rapid speech, causing a softer sound or misarticulation as /dʒ/ vs. /ʒ/. Also, distinguishing /æ/ from other low-front vowels in fast speech can cause misplacement. Practice the crisp transition from /m/ into /dʒ/ with controlled lip closure and tongue-peak contact.”
The word’s unique challenge is maintaining the loud, clear onset /d/ followed by the muted, quick /æ/ and then the sharp /m/ before the /dʒ/. Many speakers compress the middle vowels or run the /dʒ/ into a softer /ʒ/. Focus on a short, staccato /æ/ then a tight /m/ and an abrupt /dʒ/ release to achieve the standard American/British/Australian pronunciation.
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US: rhotic, clear r in surrounding words; UK: non-rhotic, vowels slightly more centralized; AU: often non-rhotic with relaxed vowels and a slightly broader /æ/ before /mɪdʒ/. Vowel shifts: /æ/ in US/UK often near-AL when unstressed; /ɪ/ in the second syllable tends to be shorter in US than in UK/AU. Use IPA cues to calibrate your mouth shape: lips neutral for /æ/, slight rounding for /ɪ/ in some accents; the /dʒ/ should be a quick, continuous release with the tongue contacting the alveolar ridge. Practicing in sentences helps you feel rhythm across contexts.
Damage comes from the Old French damager, from dam- (the stem of dame or damage) possibly related to dam (to hinder or check). The word traveled into Middle English as damagien, with the sense of inflicting loss or harm. Its earliest uses in English literature appear in the 14th century, often in legal or military contexts about injury or impairment. Over time, the term broadened to cover harm to objects (structural damage), living tissue (physical injury), and abstract effects (financial or reputational damage). The core sense remains the infliction of impairment or destruction, whether accidental, negligent, or intentional. The spelling stabilized to damage by the 16th century, aligning with similar -age nouns in English that denote result or action. In modern usage, damage can be both countable (damages in a lawsuit) and uncountable (property damage). The word’s semantic shift includes metaphorical extensions, such as emotional damage or reputational damage, reflecting the transferable impact of harm across domains.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "damage" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "damage" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "damage"
-age sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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