4 syllables: de, mon, stra, tors. Stress on de.
DEM-uhn-stray-turz
/ˈdɛmənsˌtɹeɪtɚz/
demonstrators is pronounced DEM-uhn-stray-turz (/ˈdɛmənsˌtɹeɪtɚz/). It has four syllables (de-mon-stra-tors), with the stress on "de". Demonstrators are people who publicly show or explain something, often in a protest or informational setting. The word refers to those who demonstrate or illustrate, typically in groups or organized events. In a broader sense, it can describe individuals who display or prove a point through demonstration, discourse, or demonstration-driven activity.
Demonstrators are people who publicly show or explain something, often in a protest or informational setting. The word refers to those who demonstrate or illustrate, typically in groups or organized events. In a broader sense, it can describe individuals who display or prove a point through demonstration, discourse, or demonstration-driven activity.
- You often misplace the primary stress. The correct pattern is de-MON-stra-tors, with primary stress on the second syllable. Practice by clapping on the stressed syllable in isolation and in phrases. - The /str/ cluster after the stressed vowel can be subtle. Focus on maintaining a crisp /s t r/ sequence without inserting an extra vowel. Begin the /str/ immediately after /mə/ to avoid an /ɪ/ or /ə/ insertion. - The final plural /-z/ can be reduced to /-s/ or devoice to /-s/. Practice pronouncing the final /z/ clearly in both American and British varieties to avoid ambiguity in meaning.
"The demonstrators gathered outside the capital to protest the new policy."
"During the science fair, the demonstrators explained their experiments to interested students."
"The political rally featured demonstrators who demonstrated their support with banners."
Pronounce as /ˌdɛmənˈstreɪtərz/ (US) or /ˌdɛmənˈstreɪtəz/ (UK). The primary stress is on the second syllable: de-MON-stra-tors; the final -ors is pronounced /-ərz/ in US English and /-əz/ in UK. Start with a light /d/, then /ɛmən/ in a quick unstressed lead; the stressed syllable carries /streɪ/ with a clear long A. Finish with /tərz/ or /tə z/ depending on accent. Listening to native speech will help, but aim for a sustained /streɪ/ and a crisp /t/ before the final vowel.
Two frequent errors are misplacing the stress and mispronouncing the /t/ cluster. People often shift primary stress to the first or third syllable, yielding de-MON-stra-tors or de-moN-strators, which sounds off. Ensure primary stress on the second-to-last syllable: de-MON-stra-tors with a clear /streɪ/. Another mistake is turning the final -ors into /ɔːr/ or dropping the /z/; pronounce the final as /-əz/ (UK) or /-ərz/ (US) depending on context.
In US, you’ll hear /ˌdɛmənˈstreɪtərz/ with rhotic r and /ˈstreɪtərz/ish final /ərz/. UK pronunciation tends to /ˌdɛmənˈstreɪtəz/ with non-rhotic r and a lighter final /əz/; some speakers may reduce the second syllable slightly. Australian accents often align with US vowel quality on /æ/ and /eɪ/ and feature a slightly flatter /ə/ in the unstressed syllables, but maintain the same stress pattern. Across all, the key is the /streɪ/ stressed nucleus and the final plural marker /-z/.
The difficulty lies in the multi-syllable rhythm and the /ə/ reductions in unstressed syllables, plus the consonant cluster /str/ after the stressed vowel. The sequence de-MON-stra-tors requires sharp tongue coordination to articulate the /d/ + /ɛm/ + /ən/ quickly, then a clear /streɪ/ before the /tərz/. For non-native speakers, the challenge includes maintaining accurate vowel length in /streɪ/ and not turning /t/ into a flap. Practicing with minimal pairs helps.
No silent letters in standard pronunciation. All letters contribute to phonemes: the final -ors is pronounced as /ərz/ in US or /əz/ in UK, the middle -stra- yields a stressed /streɪ/ sequence, and there’s audible /d/ at the start. Pay attention to the /ə/ in the unstressed syllables and the final /z/ sound.
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- US: emphasize rhotic /r/ in /ərz/, keep /streɪ/ with clear long A; ensure /d/ at start is voiced. - UK: non-rhotic tendency may soften post-vocalic r; keep final /əz/ or /əz/ depending on speaker. Maintain clear /t/ before final /ə/. - AU: similar to US but with slightly flatter vowel qualities; keep /streɪ/ distinct and not merge with /ˈstreɪtə/. - Vowel details: /eɪ/ in /streɪ/ is long; avoid reducing to /e/ or /iː/. Consonant clusters: ensure /dr/ aren’t conflated with /d/ + /r/; maintain syllable boundaries in rapid speech.
The word demonstrator comes from the Latin demonstrare, meaning to point out, show, or prove. The root is demonstr-, from Latin demonstrare, with -tor as a agent noun suffix. The sense evolved through Old French démonstrateur and Middle English demonstrations, where it referred to those who show, explain, or prove something. In modern English, demonstrator typically means someone who shows how something works or advocates for a cause in public. The term gained particular social and political resonance in the 18th–20th centuries as public demonstrations and protest culture expanded. First known use in English traces to the late 15th to early 16th centuries via Latin-demonstrator, and later settled into the common noun and plural form demonstrators by the 19th century, often in reference to people participating in demonstrations or displays of evidence and argument.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "demonstrators" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "demonstrators" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "demonstrators"
-ors sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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