3 syllables: do, na, tion. Stress on na.
doh-NAY-shuhn
/doʊˈneɪʃən/
donation is pronounced doh-NAY-shuhn (/doʊˈneɪʃən/). It has three syllables (do-na-tion), with the stress on "na". Donation is a noun meaning a gift, contribution, or offering, typically of money or goods, offered to help a cause or organization. It can also refer to the act of giving or the thing given. The term emphasizes voluntariness and support rather than obligation, and is often used in philanthropic, medical, and fundraising contexts.
Donation is a noun meaning a gift, contribution, or offering, typically of money or goods, offered to help a cause or organization. It can also refer to the act of giving or the thing given. The term emphasizes voluntariness and support rather than obligation, and is often used in philanthropic, medical, and fundraising contexts.
- You’ll often hear people say do-NAY-shun with an extra vowel sound in the final syllable; correct by keeping the final syllable as a syllabic /n̩/ or /ʃn̩/. - The middle vowel can be mispronounced as /ɒ/ or /æ/; aim for /neɪ/ (sounds like ‘nay’) and avoid tipping into /niː/ or /noʊ/. - The onset of the final cluster /t/ or /sh/ might be misarticulated; slide quickly from /neɪ/ into /ʃn̩/ with a light, brief /t/ release or a direct transition if dialect allows; do not insert a full vowel between /neɪ/ and /ʃn̩/. • Quick-check tips: exaggerate the /neɪ/ for a beat, then clamp into the /ʃn̩/ as you release. Record yourself to confirm the final is syllabic, not vowel-heavy.
"The hospital relies on private donations to fund new equipment."
"She made a donation to the charity after reading about the tragedy."
"Donations are tax-deductible in many countries, depending on local law."
Pronounce as do-NAY-shn̩ with the primary stress on the second syllable. IPA: US /doʊˈneɪʃn̩/, UK /dəˈneɪʃn̩/, AU /dəˈneɪʃn̩/. Start with /doʊ/ or /də/ depending on your rhythm, then the stressed /neɪ/ (rhymes with “bait”), followed by a syllabic /ʃn̩/ where the ‘tion’ sounds like “shn” or a quick “shn” sound. Practice by isolating the middle vowel and ensuring the /t/ blends into /n/ to form the /ʃn̩/ syllable.
Common errors: 1) Slurring the second syllable /neɪ/ into the first; keep the break so the stress lands on /neɪ/. 2) Pronouncing the final -tion as /tɪən/ or /ʃən/, instead of a tight /ʃn̩/. 3) Mixing /doʊ/ and /də/ inconsistently. Tip: use a clear /doʊ/ or /də/ onset and then crisply release into /neɪ/.
US: stronger diphthong in /doʊ/ and clear /neɪ/ with a less pronounced /ʃn̩/. UK: often a shorter /ə/ in the first syllable, with a crisper /neɪ/ and similar /ʃn̩/. AU: similar to US, but with more centralized vowels in rapid speech and non-rhotic tendencies affecting the preceding /d/ sound slightly.
The challenge lies in coordinating the diphthong in /doʊ/ or /də/ with the stressed /neɪ/, and the clipped /ʃn̩/ at the end. The transition from /neɪ/ to /ʃ/ requires precise tongue control, and many speakers insert a schwa or misarticulate the final syllabic n. Slow practice with attention to the /t/ blending into /n/ helps.
Pay attention to the final -tion as a syllabic /n̩/ after /ʃ/; avoid an extra vowel. Use /-ʃn̩/ rather than /-tɪən/ or /-ʃən/. This yields a clean, compact ending: /neɪʃn̩/. Practicing with rapid, natural speech helps keep the rhythm intact in longer sentences.
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- US: rhoticity applies to /d/; keep neutral vowel color in /ɜ/ or /ə/ in unstressed syllables. - UK: slight reduction in the first syllable, with a crisper /neɪ/. Final cluster /ʃn̩/ should be tight; avoid adding vowel after /ʃ/. - AU: tends toward non-rhoticity in casual speech; the /d/ is a light, dental-alveolar onset; maintain /neɪ/ as a clear syllable, and execute /ʃn̩/ without extra vowels. IPA references: /doʊˈneɪʃn̩/ (US), /dəˈneɪʃn̩/ (UK/AU).
Donation comes from the Latin donatio, from donare ‘to give, grant,’ which itself derives from donum ‘gift.’ The term entered English via Old French donacion in the 14th century and evolved to align with the legal and charitable sense of giving. Early uses referenced yields of land or churches, but by the 18th and 19th centuries, the sense shifted toward monetary or material gifts for a cause. The word retained its core semantic core of voluntary giving, though modern usage spans charitable fundraising, medical philanthropy, and endowments. Across languages, cognates like donation (French), donación (Spanish), and donazione (Italian) reflect the shared Latin root don-, meaning “to give.” First known written uses appear in legal and ecclesiastical records, where donors were acknowledged for providing goods or funds to institutions. Over time, the term broadened beyond religious institutions to include secular charity, universities, and crowdfunding campaigns, while still preserving the emphasis on voluntary, benevolent transfer of resources.
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Words that rhyme with "donation"
-ion sounds
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