2 syllables: en, dorse. Stress on dorse.
en-DAWRS
/ɛˈndɔɹs/
endorse is pronounced en-DAWRS (/ɛˈndɔɹs/). It has two syllables (en-dorse), with the stress on "dorse". Endorse means to formally approve, support, or recommend something or someone. It can also refer to signing the back of a document to authorize it. In usage, you typically endorse a candidate, a product, or a policy, signaling explicit approval or backing.
Endorse means to formally approve, support, or recommend something or someone. It can also refer to signing the back of a document to authorize it. In usage, you typically endorse a candidate, a product, or a policy, signaling explicit approval or backing.
- You may drop the /n/ sound in the transition between en- and -dorse, producing a rushed en-dorse. Ensure the nasal /n/ is audible before the /d/ onset. - The /ɔː/ vowel may be shortened toward a /ɒ/ or a schwa in rapid speech; keep the long /ɔː/ for the stressed syllable to preserve the word’s core sound. - The final /s/ can be voiced as /z/ or omitted; aim for a crisp voiceless /s/ to prevent ambiguity in connected speech.
"The board will endorse the new policy after reviewing the proposal."
"She agreed to endorse his candidacy, strengthening his chances in the election."
"The celebrity will endorse the sunscreen line in the upcoming campaign."
Pronounce as in-ˈdɔːrs in US or in-ˈdɔːs in UK/AU. The primary stress falls on the second syllable: en-DORSE. The vowel in the stressed syllable is a long open-mid /ɔː/ (as in 'or'), followed by a voiced alveolar nasal /n/ in the onset of the second syllable and a final /s/ or /z/ depending on surrounding voicing. In practice, you articulate the /n/ with a light touch and end with a crisp /s/.
Two common errors: 1) Reducing it to ‘in-dorse’ without the /n/ nasal start of the stressed syllable. 2) Slurring the final /s/ into a /z/ or dropping the final /s/ entirely. Correction: clearly articulate the /n/ between ‘en’ and ‘dorse,’ keep the /ɔː/ vowel long and tense, and end with a crisp /s/ rather than a voiced consonant. Practice by isolating en-DORSE and emphasizing the /n/ and /s/.
In US, the /ɔːr/ in the stressed syllable may feel slightly rhotic with a light rhotic voice leading into the final /r/ before an /s/ in connected speech, though some speakers may de-rhoticize in careful speech. In UK, /ɔː/ is a pure long open-mid back vowel, with non-rhotic tendencies so the final /r/ is not pronounced. In Australian, the vowel is often a broader /ɔː/ with less rhotic influence but speed and connected speech can blur /r/. Overall, the core is /ɪnˈdɔːs/ or /ɪnˈdɔːrs/ with stress on the second syllable.
The difficulty centers on the diphthongal quality of the stressed /ɔː/ and the crisp final /s/ after an alveolar nasal, which can cause crowding in rapid speech. The /n/ must be light and the transition from /ə/ (in the first syllable) to the stressed /ɔː/ should be clean, avoiding a schwa that weakens the shock of the main vowel. Additionally, speakers sometimes misplace the stress or merge the second syllable with the first, so practice isolating en-DORSE.
A unique point is the potential for the second syllable to merge with the first under fast speech, making it sound like ‘in-dorse’ or ‘in-dørs.’ You can prevent this by emphasizing the /d/ onset of the second syllable and finishing with a clear /s/. In careful speech, you’ll hear a brief pause between en- and -dorse, which can help clarity in formal contexts.
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- US: Maintain rhoticity in fast speech; allow a slight /ɹ/ coloring before the final /s/ in careful speech. - UK: Keep /ɔː/ pure; avoid adding r-coloring; end with a clean /s/. - AU: Similar to UK but with more reduced vowel length; keep the /ɔː/ longer than a short /ɒ/ but avoid overemphasizing the /r/.
Endorse comes from the early 17th century, rooted in legal and financial language. The word originally meant ‘put a mark on the back (of a document) for identification or binding,’ deriving from the sense of writing or signing on the back (en-dorse). The form reflects French and Latin influences common in legal terms of the period. Over time, the sense broadened from a physical endorsement (signing a document) to a figurative one—public approval or support. This shift occurred as officials and peers started using “endorsed” as a formal mark of validation beyond legal papers, extending into politics, advertising, and endorsements of products or people. First known uses appear in English legal texts and letters of patronage where a person’s name or signature on the back of a bill indicated consent or backing. By the 19th and 20th centuries, it had become common in commercial and social contexts, especially with endorsements by celebrities and brands to signal trust and quality.
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Words that rhyme with "endorse"
-nds sounds
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