4 syllables: di, li, gen, tly. Stress on di.
DIL-uh-juhnt-lee
/ˈdɪlədʒəntli/
diligently is pronounced DIL-uh-juhnt-lee (/ˈdɪlədʒəntli/). It has four syllables (di-li-gen-tly), with the stress on "di". Diligently describes performing a task with steady, careful effort and persistent thoroughness. It implies focused attention, regularity, and thorough follow-through, often with a sense of duty or conscientiousness. Used across formal and informal contexts to commend or describe meticulous work and persistent application over time.
Diligently describes performing a task with steady, careful effort and persistent thoroughness. It implies focused attention, regularity, and thorough follow-through, often with a sense of duty or conscientiousness. Used across formal and informal contexts to commend or describe meticulous work and persistent application over time.
- Difficulty with the /d͡ʒ/ in -gli-; speakers often substitute with /dʒ/ or /ʒ/ or misplace the tongue, making it sound like "dili-JENT-lee" instead of the intended /ˈdɪ.lɪ.dʒənt.li/. • Correction: practice the /d͡ʒ/ as a single, brief release; start with 'judge' to anchor the sound, then attach -ənt- and -li without splitting the affricate. - Tendency to reduce syllables in rapid speech, saying /ˈdɪ.lɪ.dʒənt/ or /ˈdɪl.ɪ.dʒənt.li/ with light or omitted final -li; keep the final /li/ clearly enunciated. • Correction: count four syllables in slow pace; rehearse with a metronome at 60 BPM, then 80 BPM, then normal speed. - Vowel length in the first two syllables can be shortened or reduced to /ɪ/ or /ə/; the first syllable should remain stressed and crisp. • Correction: exaggerate the first two /ɪ/ vowels in isolation, then blend into the dense /d͡ʒ/ cluster to maintain rhythm.
"She studied diligently for months to prepare for the exam."
"The team worked diligently to meet the tight deadline."
"A diligent researcher reviews data from multiple sources."
Pronounce as /ˈdɪ.lɪ.dʒənt.li/. Start with a stressed DIL- syllable, then -i- becomes a short /ɪ/; the -ligent- portion contains /dʒ/ like 'j', followed by an unstressed -ly with /li/. Emphasize the first syllable and maintain a smooth transition to -gent- and -ly. Listen to native speaker references or a pronunciation tool for audio cues.
Common errors include misplacing the /dʒ/ sound as /d͡ʒl/ or over-articulating the 'g' in -gent-, producing a /l/ blend. Another frequent slip is reducing the syllable count, saying /ˈdɪ.lɪ.dʒənt/ without the final /li/ or slurring -li to /l/; ensure the last syllable -ly is pronounced /li/ and not silent. Practice by isolating /d͡ʒ/ as in 'judge' and linking it cleanly to -ənt- and -li.
US/UK/AU share the /ˈdɪ.lɪ.dʒənt.li/ skeleton, but rhotics and vowel qualities shift slightly. US tends to retain a clearer /ɪ/ in the first and second syllables and a more pronounced /lɪ/ before -dʒənt-. UK can show a marginally shorter /ɪ/ and a crisper /d͡ʒ/; AU mirrors US but with a more centralized vowel in some speakers and a softer final /li/. Overall, stress remains on the first syllable across regions.
The difficulty lies in the sequence /dɪlɪ/ initiating with /d/ plus a liquid /l/ before the affricate /dʒ/ in -ligent-, creating a cluster that can blur without careful articulation. The final -ly also blends quickly in fast speech, risking omission or reduction. Mastery requires isolating the /d͡ʒ/ sound, maintaining the short /ɪ/ vowels, and ensuring the two unstressed segments don’t swallow the primary stress.
A key point is the /dʒ/ in the -gli- portion; it’s not /g/ or /j/ alone, but the voiced postalveolar affricate /d͡ʒ/ as in 'judge'. Ensure the release is tight but not abrupt, and avoid crisper /d/ or /ʒ/ segmentation. Also, the /ɪ/ vowels in the first two syllables are short and quick; maintaining crisp, even timing across all four syllables differentiates correct pronunciation.
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- US: emphasize rhoticity and a clear /ɪ/ in the first two syllables; keep /d͡ʒ/ distinct. - UK: slightly shorter vowels, crisper /t/ or /d/ release depending on speaker; /d͡ʒ/ remains. - AU: more centralized vowel tendencies; ensure final /li/ is non-syllabic or light, but still audible. Use IPA: /ˈdɪ.lɪ.dʒənt.li/. Focus on a smooth transition between /dɪ/ and /lɪ/ and a clean, audible /d͡ʒ/ before -ənt-li.
Diligently derives from the Latin diligere, meaning to value, esteem, or love; and diligens, meaning careful, conscientious, or diligent. The noun form diligent entered English via Old French dlegue or diligence in the 13th century, initially tied to steadfast care in one’s duties. In Middle English, diligence gathered sense related to carefulness and perseverance. By the 16th–17th centuries, diligently connoted an adverbial imposition of diligence in action, aligning with Protestant work-ethic, scientific rigor, and meticulous record-keeping. The word’s core components—diligere (to esteem) + -tio/-t; -ly suffix for adverbs—underscore a long-standing association with disciplined, patient, and thorough effort. Over time, diligently broadened from religious and moral virtue into general professional and personal contexts, maintaining emphasis on steady, methodical pursuit rather than speed. In modern usage, diligently commonly collocates with study, work, research, and practice, conveying sustained, attentive effort rather than brilliance or flair.
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Words that rhyme with "diligently"
-tly sounds
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