2 syllables: en, sue. Stress on sue.
in-SOO
/ɪˈnsu/
ensue is pronounced in-SOO (/ɪˈnsu/). It has two syllables (en-sue), with the stress on "sue". Ensue means to happen as a consequence or following event. It describes what naturally comes next after a preceding action or situation, often implying an inevitable progression. In usage, you discuss outcomes that arise subsequently, typically after an event has occurred.
Ensue means to happen as a consequence or following event. It describes what naturally comes next after a preceding action or situation, often implying an inevitable progression. In usage, you discuss outcomes that arise subsequently, typically after an event has occurred.
"After the argument, a period of silence ensued."
"A chain of misunderstandings ensued, making the project late."
"Violence ensued once the protest began escalating."
Pronounce as en-SOO, with the primary stress on the second syllable. In IPA: US /ɛnˈsuː/, UK /ɪnˈsjuː/ or /ɛnˈsjuː/ depending on speaker. Start with a short /ɛ/ like “bet,” then the /n/, then the long /uː/ vowel formed with a high back tongue position. The lips round slightly for the /uː/ and the second syllable has stronger vowel length. Ensure the /sj/ cluster sounds like “syo͞o” rather than a separate “s” and “y” glide. You’ll hear a crisp, even rhythm: en-SOO.
Three common errors: 1) Splitting the syllables too evenly, producing an awkward EN-sue; the second syllable must bear primary stress. 2) Mispronouncing /sj/ as /s/ + /j/ separately; pronounce as a palatalized /sjuː/ with a smooth /s/ followed by /j/ into the rounded /uː/. 3) Reducing the diphthong in the second syllable to a plain /u/; keep the long /uː/ quality for a clear ending. Correction: practice en-SOO with a tight /n/ followed by a strong /sjuː/ cluster, shaping the tongue toward the hard palate for /sjuː/ and ensuring the mouth closes softly into the final /uː/.
In US English, ensue tends to be /ɛnˈsuː/ with less vowel coloration and the second syllable bearing the main stress. In many UK varieties, you can hear /ɪnˈsjuː/ or /ɛnˈsjuː/, with a possible initial schwa or short vowel before the /n/ and with a closer fronted pronunciation of the /j/ in /sjuː/. Australian English often mirrors /ɛnˈsuː/ but with a lighter /r/ absence and a more centralized initial vowel for some speakers. Across all, the key is keeping the /sjuː/ cluster smooth, not separating into /s/ and /juː/ with a vowel between.
The challenge lies in the /sj/ cluster and the long /uː/ vowel. The transition from the alveolar /n/ into the palatal /s/ plus /j/ requires precise tongue elevation toward the hard palate, creating the /sjuː/ sequence. Speakers often insert an epenthetic vowel or misplace the stress, producing en-SU or en-syoo. In fast speech, maintaining the tight /sjuː/ cluster without inserting a separate vowel or slowing down the second syllable is crucial. Focus on a compact, sharp /sjuː/ rather than two distinct sounds.
A unique consideration is the palatalization of the /s/ into an /sj/ sequence that glides into a long /uː/. This isn’t a hard consonant break; treat /sjuː/ as a single, fluid sequence. The initial /ɪn/ or /ɛn/ also invites subtle regional vowel shifts—some speakers approach a short /ɪ/ or a centralized vowel before the /n/. Remember the stress sits on the second syllable, but ensure the first syllable provides a quick, light onset, so the core /ˈsuː/ never drags. This breathy, continuous release helps avoid choppy pronunciation.
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Ensu e has its roots in Old French ensuer, from en- (in, into) + suer (to follow), ultimately derived from Latin subsequi (to follow after). The form evolved in Middle English as ensuen and then ensue, with the sense sharpening to the modern meaning of something that follows as a consequence. The earliest attestations appear in 16th- and 17th-century English, where authors used ensue to describe events that occur subsequently to a stated cause. Over time, the word broadened beyond legal or formal writing to general narrative usage, consistently carrying the sense of a natural or inevitable sequence of events following a prior action. The pronunciation stabilized toward /ɪnˈsjuː/ in British English and /ɛnˈsuː/ in many American varieties during the 19th and 20th centuries as vowel quality and rhoticity norms emerged. The spelling preserves the root sense of “following after,” even as usage broadened to everyday discourse. First known use is documented in Early Modern English texts, with the recorded sense aligning to “to happen as a consequence.”
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "ensue" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "ensue" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "ensue"
-cue sounds
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