3 syllables: e, ject, ed. Stress on ject.
ij-EK-tid
/ɪˈdʒɛktɪd/
ejected is pronounced ij-EK-tid (/ɪˈdʒɛktɪd/). It has three syllables (e-ject-ed), with the stress on "ject". Ejected is the past tense verb meaning to expel or discharge something forcefully, or to be forced out from a space or position. It implies an outward movement from a container or authority, often with suddenness or force. The form is commonly used in technical, legal, or narrative contexts to describe a removal or expulsion action that has already occurred.
Ejected is the past tense verb meaning to expel or discharge something forcefully, or to be forced out from a space or position. It implies an outward movement from a container or authority, often with suddenness or force. The form is commonly used in technical, legal, or narrative contexts to describe a removal or expulsion action that has already occurred.
"The object was ejected from the launcher after a malfunction."
"She was ejected from the club for violating the rules."
"The driver ejected the seat cover to inspect the mechanism."
Say it as /ɪˈdʒɛk.tɪd/. The stress is on the second syllable: ih-JECT-id. Start with a short, lax vowel /ɪ/, then the /dʒ/ affricate as in 'job', followed by /ɛ/ in the 'ject' part, and finish with a light /ɪd/ or /əd/ depending on tempo. Keep the lips relaxed after the /t/ and avoid a strong /d/ at the end. You’ll hear the crisp -t- before the light ending in natural speech. Audio references: Cambridge/Forvo pronunciations can provide native speaker variants.
Two common errors: 1) Slurring the /dʒ/ into a simple /ʒ/ or /dʒ/ into a stop too late, making it sound like /ɪˈdʒɛk.tɪ/ vs. /ɪˈdʒɛkt.ɪd/. 2) Dropping or over-lengthening the final /d/ in rapid speech, producing /ɪˈdʒɛk.tɪ/ instead of /ɪˈdʒɛk.tɪd/. Correction: clearly release the /dʒ/ as a single affricate followed by the short /ɪ/ then a crisp final /d/ if the final consonant clusters permit. Practice with a slight pause before the final /d/ to ensure the final stop is audible.
US/UK/AU share /ɪˈdʒɛk.tɪd/ base, but rhoticity and vowel length differ. US tends to rhotic flow and a sharper /ɪ/; UK often shorter /ɪ/ with tighter /ɛ/; AU tends to a slightly broader diphthong in /ɪ/ and stronger final /ɪd/ in rapid speech. The central vowel in the first syllable remains /ɪ/ across accents, while the /ɛ/ in the second syllable can approach /e/ in some Australian speech. Accent differences primarily affect vowel quality and the degree of vowel reduction in unstressed syllables.
Key challenges are the alveolar stop + affricate cluster /dʒ/ followed by a short /ɛ/ and a final /d/ in a rapid sequence. The middle consonant cluster /t/ can create a subtle pause, risking mis-timing of the /t/ and /ɪd/ ending. Additionally, the non-syllabic nature of the word means the final /d/ may be devoiced or omitted in fast speech. Focusing on the precise release of /dʒ/ and maintaining a clean /t/ before the final /ɪd/ helps clarity.
The primary feature is the triad stress pattern within a short word: the secondary stress on -JECT- carries the nucleus of the word, while the final -ed remains light. You’ll hear a strong, defined /dʒ/ onset in the syllable nucleus and a light, quick ending. This distinct stress placement differentiates ejected from similar forms like eject or ejection, which shift stress or syllable count. Pay attention to the crisp initial consonant cluster beginning with /dʒ/ to avoid an overly soft onset.
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Ejected comes from the past participle of the verb eject, which derives from the Latin eicere, meaning to throw out or cast forth. The prefix e- (a variant of ex-) signifying out, combined with iacere (to throw) gave eicere, then ejectus in Latin, the past participle form. Borrowed into English in the 15th century, the word originally carried the sense of throwing someone or something out of a place or position, including from a vessel or seat. Over time, eject extended to technical contexts such as weaponry (ejection of shells), machinery, aviation (fuel and components expelled), and legal/administrative expulsions. The modern sense emphasizes outward propulsion or removal and can function as both a transitive verb (to eject something) and intransitive (to be ejected). Its phonology aligned with general English stress patterns: the primary stress on the second syllable: e-JECT-ed, with a syllabic emphasis on the -JECT- stem, reflecting the root “ject” from Latin iacere via ejectus. First known uses in English appear in technical descriptions and scientific writings as early as the 16th-17th centuries, with more widespread adoption in the 19th and 20th centuries as technology and law formalized the concept of expulsion or removal. Modern usage integrates both mechanical and figurative expulsions, including phrases like “ejected from the game” or “ejected from the system,” maintaining the nuance of forceful removal.
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Words that rhyme with "ejected"
-ted sounds
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