2 syllables: do, ping. Stress on do.
DOH-ping
/ˈdoʊpɪŋ/
doping is pronounced DOH-ping (/ˈdoʊpɪŋ/). It has two syllables (do-ping), with the stress on "do". Doping refers to the act of using illegal or banned substances to enhance athletic performance, or, more broadly, the administration of any substance to alter physiological function. In sports contexts it denotes intentional misuse to gain unfair advantage, while in medicine or biology it can describe introducing substances into an organism for study or treatment. The term carries strong negative connotations and is often discussed in anti-doping policies and regulatory frameworks.
Doping refers to the act of using illegal or banned substances to enhance athletic performance, or, more broadly, the administration of any substance to alter physiological function. In sports contexts it denotes intentional misuse to gain unfair advantage, while in medicine or biology it can describe introducing substances into an organism for study or treatment. The term carries strong negative connotations and is often discussed in anti-doping policies and regulatory frameworks.
"The cycling team was investigated for doping violations during the Tour de France."
"Researchers warned against doping animals, which can skew experimental results."
"Doping controls are in place to deter athletes from using banned substances."
Pronounce it as DOHP-ing in practice. The primary stress is on DOH (ˈdoʊ or ˈdəʊ), followed by a short -ping. In US, IPA: /ˈdoʊ.pɪŋ/. In UK/AU, IPA: /ˈdəʊ.pɪŋ/. Start with a clear, rounded vowel, then a light schwa or reduced vowel before the final /pɪŋ/. You’ll place your lips for a rounded or lax onset, then release into a small burst for /p/ and finish with /ɪŋ/.
Common mistakes include lengthening the second syllable or misplacing stress on the second syllable, saying /ˈdɔː.pɪŋ/ or /ˈdoʊ.pɪn/ (dropping the final /ŋ/). Also, some speakers insert an extra syllable like /doh- ping/ with a tense vowel. Correct by keeping primary stress on the first syllable and ending with a clean /ɪŋ/. Practice the final nasal by gently closing the lips and keeping the tongue's blade near the alveolar ridge for /ŋ/.
US tends to /ˈdoʊ.pɪŋ/ with a clear /oʊ/ as in 'goat', while UK/AU often use /ˈdəʊ.pɪŋ/ with a more centralized or schwa-like onset in many speakers. The rhoticity is less pronounced in UK/AU, affecting the first syllable’s vowel quality; AU sometimes leans closer to US in casual speech. The final -ing (/ɪŋ/) remains consistent across accents. Note that connected speech can reduce the first vowel and couple the /p/ and /ɪ/ more tightly in rapid speech.
The challenge lies in the short, high-front /ɪ/ in the second syllable and the final /ŋ/ which many learners mispronounce as /n/ or /ŋk/. Additionally, combining /ˈdoʊ/ or /ˈdəʊ/ with a crisp /p/ into a seamless onset-plus-plosive can be tricky under fast speech. The first syllable can be reduced or lengthened depending on speaker; maintain a compact, quick /pɪŋ/ and avoid adding extra vowel sounds.
People often search for whether there is a silence in the word or if the 'p' is aspirated. Pronounce the /p/ with a brief aspiration after the /d/ or /t/ onset, but in American speech, the /d/ in onset clusters may be lightly released as you transition to /p/. Make sure you don’t insert a schwa between /d/ and /p/. This yields the characteristic two-syllable rhythm with primary stress on the first syllable.
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Doping derives from the noun dope, meaning a substance or drug, historically used as a slang for narcotics or stimulants. The sense ‘to add doping agents to enhance performance’ emerged in the early 20th century, around the 1920s–1930s, aligning with the rise of professionalized sports and drug regulation. The term dope itself has broader roots in English as a thick, viscous preparation or drug, with possible ties to the Dutch nedop (to thicken) and older Germanic terms for “substance.” By mid-century, doping specifically referred to administering performance-enhancing substances, especially anabolic steroids and stimulants, leading to modern anti-doping regimes, testing, and compliance standards. In contemporary usage, doping spans sports, veterinary contexts, and medical experimentation where substances are used deliberately to alter physiological outcomes. The word has acquired a highly charged connotation because of cheating, health risks, and the integrity of competition. First known uses appear in sports journalism and pharmacology literature from the 1920s onward, solidifying its association with illicit or controlled substances used to gain athletic advantages.
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Words that rhyme with "doping"
-ing sounds
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