4 syllables: e, nor, mous, ly. Stress on nor.
in-AWR-muh-slee
/ɪˈnɔɹməsli/
enormously is pronounced in-AWR-muh-slee (/ɪˈnɔɹməsli/). It has four syllables (e-nor-mous-ly), with the stress on "nor". Enormously means to a very large or great extent. It describes something of substantial size, amount, or degree, often implying noticeable impact or significance. The word carries a formal-to-neutral register and is commonly used in descriptive or evaluative contexts.
Enormously means to a very large or great extent. It describes something of substantial size, amount, or degree, often implying noticeable impact or significance. The word carries a formal-to-neutral register and is commonly used in descriptive or evaluative contexts.
- Underpronouncing the middle syllable: avoid merging /ɔːr/ with /m/; keep a distinct /məs/ before the final /li/. - Dropping the schwa: some speakers compress /əs/ too much; retain the light /ə/ in the middle for natural rhythm. - Stress misplacement: misplacing stress on the first or third syllable weakens meaning; ensure primary stress on the second syllable /ˌɔːr/ or /ˈnɔːr/ depending on dialect. Tip: gesture or tap the rhythm: da-da-DDA-da to feel the beat.
"The project expanded enormously after the initial funding."
"Her influence grew enormously as she took on the new role."
"Prices rose enormously during the wartime economy."
Pronounce as /ɪˈnɔːr.məs.li/ (US/UK) with primary stress on the second syllable. Start with a short i in 'in', then a stressed 'nor' like 'nore' but with a rounded /ɔː/ vowel, followed by a clear 'məs' (m-s) and a light 'li'. In rapid speech, the syllables can blend, but keep /ɔːr/ distinct. Listen to native examples at Forvo or YouGlish to hear natural rhythm.
Two common errors are misplacing the stress or shortening the middle syllable. People may say /ɪˈnɔːr.məs.li/ with first-syllable stress or reduce the second syllable to /ən-/, like /ɪˈnɔːr.-ə-sli/. Correct by stressing the second syllable: /ˌɛnˈɔːr.məs.li/ or /ɪˈnɔːr.məz.li/, ensuring the /ɔː/ is rounded and the /r/ is pronounced in rhotic varieties. Practice the sequence with a gentle but audible /r/ and a clear /m/ before /s/.
US: /ɪˈnɔːr.məs.li/ with rhotic /r/ and a clear /l/ at the end. UK: /ɪˈnɔː.məs.li/ often non-rhotic? Actually UK is rhotic in most accents; some may reduce the /r/ in non-rhotic varieties, yielding /ɪˈnɔː.mə.sli/. AU: similar to UK but with slightly flatter vowels and stronger non-rhotic tendencies in some regions; ensure the final /li/ is clear. Focus on keeping the /ɔː/ quality steady and the final /li/ crisp across all: [ɪˈnɔː.məs.li].
The difficulty lies in the smooth sequence of three strong segments: /nɔːr/ with a rounded back vowel, a rapid /m/ and a light /s/ before /li/. The schwa-less middle syllable can be tricky in fast speech, and the final /li/ must be crisp without adding extra syllabic vowels. Practicing the transition from heavy nucleus /ɔːr/ to the light /məs/ helps maintain rhythm and avoids vowel intrusion. IPA cues anchor your articulation and help diagnose misplacements.
Think of the word as three tight units: i-nor-, -mous-, -ly, with the nucleus on /ɔːr/. Keep the mouth rounded on /ɔː/ and avoid a heavy lip rounding after /ɔːr/. The final -ly is light; don’t belt it. A practical trick is to whisper the middle syllable /məs/ before saying the strong /li/, then merge fluidly: ɪ-ˈnɔːr-məs-li. Practicing with a slow-to-fast progression helps stabilize the rhythm while preserving the three-core segments.
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- US: retain rhotic /r/ after the /ɔː/; allow fuller vowel length in the nucleus. - UK: slight non-rhotic tendencies could reduce the /r/; ensure the /ɔː/ quality is maintained, and the final /li/ remains light. - AU: tends to be broader vowels and a stronger diphthong around /ɔː/; keep the /m/ and /s/ clean preceding the final /li/. Use IPA as reference: US /ɪˈnɔːr.məs.li/; UK /ɪˈnɔː.məs.li/; AU /ɪˈnɔː.məs.li/.
Enormously comes from the adjective enormous, itself from the Latin enormis, meaning 'shocking, irregular, or monstrous', from the root e- 'out of' + norma 'rule, standard'. The English form enormous appeared in the 17th century, originally describing something that violated standard expectations or norms. The adverbial suffix -ly was added to indicate manner or degree, yielding enormously to mean 'to a great extent'. Over time, usage broadened from physical size to abstract quantities—emotions, success, consequences—while maintaining a sense of exceptional magnitude. The evolution reflects not only physical largeness but also the idea of surpassing ordinary bounds, so you may hear it in both literal and figurative contexts. First known uses appear in scholarly and descriptive prose of the early modern period, aligning with other -ly adverbs formed from adjectives. While now common in formal and semi-formal speech, enormously remains slightly elevated compared to everyday terms like very or extremely. It often collocates with verbs of effect, growth, and impact, emphasizing magnitude rather than precision.
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Words that rhyme with "enormously"
-sly sounds
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