3 syllables: de, light, ed. Stress on light.
dil-EYE-tuhd
/dɪˈlaɪtəd/
delighted is pronounced dil-EYE-tuhd (/dɪˈlaɪtəd/). It has three syllables (de-light-ed), with the stress on "light". Delighted describes a strong, joyful feeling of pleasure or satisfaction. It is commonly used to express happiness in response to good news or pleasant events. The word functions as an adjective (and, less commonly, as a past participle in fixed phrases) and often occurs with verbs like felt, was, or looked, signaling a heightened emotional state.
Delighted describes a strong, joyful feeling of pleasure or satisfaction. It is commonly used to express happiness in response to good news or pleasant events. The word functions as an adjective (and, less commonly, as a past participle in fixed phrases) and often occurs with verbs like felt, was, or looked, signaling a heightened emotional state.
- You may over-simplify the second syllable and say /ˈdɛlaɪtɪd/; correct by reinforcing the /laɪ/ diphthong and keeping the /l/ in the onset. - Expecting /t/ to be a soft, almost silent sound before the final /d/; ensure a crisp /t/ release before /d/. Practice as /laɪ.tɪd/ with a clear stop. - Failing to maintain a steady air flow through the diphthong and the /t/; keep your mouth open and breathe naturally to avoid a clipped /ɪ/.
"I was delighted to hear the news about your promotion."
"She gave me a delighted smile when I arrived."
"They were delighted with the wedding plans and the venue."
Pronounce it as dɪˈlaɪtɪd. The primary stress falls on the second syllable: di-LY-ted. Start with a short, lax d- sound, then the long I as in 'eye' to form /laɪ/. End with a clear /tɪd/ cluster where the /t/ is crisp and the final /d/ is voiced. Think: di-LY-ted with a quick, light T before the final D. Audio resources: youglish and Cambridge audio show real-speaker instances.
Common errors: flattening the diphthong to a flat /ɪ/ in the first syllable, or misplacing the stress as dɪˈlaɪtɪd with fronted stress on the first syllable. Another frequent error is pronouncing the final /tɪd/ as /ted/ or /tɪd/ with reduced voicing. Correct by maintaining the strong /laɪ/ as a diphthong, keeping stress on the second syllable, and producing a crisp /t/ before the final voiced /d/.
US pronunciation /dɪˈlaɪ.tɪd/ typically has a clear /ɪ/ in the first syllable and a slightly stronger rhotic flavor in connected speech. UK and AU pronunciations share /dɪˈlaɪ.tɪd/, but vowel quality varies: UK often has a flatter /ɪ/ and quicker /t/ release; AU may feature a more centralized vowel and a subtler /t/ or glottalization in casual speech. Across all, the primary stress remains on the second syllable, with a final /d/ voiced.
The difficulty lies in the diphthong /laɪ/ combined with a stressed, multisyllabic rhythm and a final /tɪd/ cluster. Keep the /laɪ/ as a smooth glide from /l/ to /aɪ/ without breaking, then transition quickly to /tɪd/ with crisp articulation to avoid an undesired /t/-only sound. Precise tongue position: tip behind upper front teeth for /d/, blade of tongue for /l/, and a high-front position for /aɪ/.
The word often shows secondary stability with stress on the second syllable, especially in longer utterances. You may hear a lighter, secondary emphasis on the first syllable in expressive speech, but the dominant beat remains on /laɪ/ in the middle. This produces a natural rise-fall pattern: di-LY-ted, shaping the phrase’s emotional contour.
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- US: Rhotic taste is mild; keep the /ɹ/ neutral in connected speech and focus on the diphthong /ɪˈlaɪ/ rolling smoothly into /tɪd/. - UK: Slightly flatter /ɪ/ and reduced VOICING on the /t/, pronounce as /dɪˈlaɪ.tɪd/ with a crisp but not forceful /t/. - AU: More centralized vowel color, occasional glottalization for /t/ in casual speech; aim for /dɪˈlaɪ.tɪd/ with a relaxed /t/.
Delighted comes from the Middle English delighted, from the Old French deliter, from the Latin delectare, meaning to please, delight, or charm. The sense evolved from “to please greatly” to a stronger “pleased very much.” The form is influenced by -ed participial endings common in English, signaling completed action or state. Early attestations appear in Middle English texts, with the modern spelling stabilizing by the 16th–17th centuries as English borrowed from Norman French. Over time, “delight” shifted from a noun-turned-verb root into an adjective describing a state of emotion rather than a simple action, aligning with adjectives like “delighted to meet you” in courteous or formal speech. The word’s core meaning remains anchored in intense pleasure and elation, though usage has broadened to reflect social polite expressions of happiness. First known uses appear in literary and legal documents of the late medieval to early modern English period, with popularization in the 17th–18th centuries as a common descriptor in correspondence and narrative prose.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "delighted" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "delighted"
-ted sounds
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