5 syllables: de, li, ber, ate, ly. Stress on li.
dil-IB-ur-uht-lee
/dɪˈlɪbɚətli/
deliberately is pronounced dil-IB-ur-uht-lee (/dɪˈlɪbɚətli/). It has five syllables (de-li-ber-ate-ly), with the stress on "li". Deliberately means performed consciously and intentionally, with clear purpose or intent. It conveys a sense of careful planning or calculated action, often contrasting with spontaneity. In use, it flags that the action was taken with awareness and forethought rather than by accident.
Deliberately means performed consciously and intentionally, with clear purpose or intent. It conveys a sense of careful planning or calculated action, often contrasting with spontaneity. In use, it flags that the action was taken with awareness and forethought rather than by accident.
"She closed the door deliberately to avoid waking the baby."
"He spoke deliberately, choosing each word to avoid misunderstanding."
"The committee deliberately slowed the process to ensure all voices were heard."
Pronounce it as de-LIB-er-ate-ly, with the primary stress on the second syllable. IPA: US dɪˈlɪb.ə.rət.li, UK dɪˈlɪb.ə.rɪt.li, AU dɪˈlɪb.ə.rə.tli. Start with a short 'di' sound, then a strong 'LIB' syllable, followed by a weak 'ə' vowel, an 'rat' or 'ri-te' sound depending on accent, and finish with a light 'ly'.
Common errors include flattening the second syllable accent to de-LIB-er-ate-ly without proper secondary stress, and pronouncing the final '-ly' as 'lee' in some fast speech, giving de-LIB-er-ate-lee. Correct by maintaining a clear secondary reductions: /ˈlɪb.ə.rə/ feel, and ending with a light /li/ instead of a strong /liː/. Practice the 'er' reduced vowel in 'er-ate' portion.
In US English, primary stress on LIB, with a rhotacized r after the vowel cluster (/ˈlɪb.ə.rə.tli/). UK English reduces the second vowel slightly and can feature a shorter /ə/ in the middle (/ˈlɪb.ə.rɪt.li/). Australian tends toward a smoother, t-voicing in 'tli' ending and a more open jaw position, sometimes with a more pronounced /ɹ/ or glottalization depending on speaker. IPA guides reflect these minor shifts.
Because it stacks five syllables with varied vowel reductions and a strong mid-stress on LIB, you juggle a consonant cluster before the final -ly, and rapid speech can blur the /ˈlɪb.ə.rə.tli/ into /ˈlɪb.rə.tli/. The trick is maintaining steady tempo and crisp consonants while preserving the schwa reductions in the middle two syllables.
A unique aspect is the placement of the primary stress and the subsequent light, quick endings. The 'lib' consonant cluster requires precise tongue placement and a controlled voicing of the following schwas. Emphasize a distinct /ˈlɪb/ onset and a short, crisp /t/ in the pre-final 'tli' section, ensuring the final 'ly' lands as a light, unstressed syllable.
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US: maintain rhoticity with a clear /ɹ/ in the final ally; UK: weaker rhotics, crisper /l/ and more pronounced /ˈlɪb.ə.rɪt.li/; AU: tends to flatten vowels slightly, more even mouth opening, final /tli/ often realized as /tli/ or /tli/ with light /r/ depending on speaker. Use IPA references to monitor the subtle vowel qualities and consonant crispness.
Deliberately traces to the Latin deliberatus, past participle of deliberare, meaning 'to weigh, consider.' The root delibero combines de- (down, thoroughly) with libero (to weigh, balance; to pluck up courage). In Late Latin and Medieval Latin, deliberare meant to weigh options in a council or court, forming the basis for the English noun deliberation in the 14th–15th centuries. By the 15th century, English had adopted deliberately as an adverbial form meaning 'in a deliberate manner'—that is, with careful consideration and intention. The semantic arc moves from weighing options to executing a chosen course with intentionality. In modern usage, deliberately often signals intent that is premeditated or consciously chosen, sometimes implying a contrast with impulse. The word gained traction in both formal and legal discourse, where precision of motive and method matters, and it expanded into everyday speech as a robust adverb describing the manner of action, thought, or speech. Historically, its pronunciation stabilized around the stressed pattern de-LIB-er-ate-ly, with the primary stress falling on the second syllable, a stress pattern that persists in most varieties of English today.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "deliberately" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "deliberately" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "deliberately"
-rly sounds
-ely sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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