3 syllables: e, rupt, ed. Stress on rupt.
ee-RUHP-tid
/ˌiˈɹʌptɪd/
erupted is pronounced ee-RUHP-tid (/ˌiˈɹʌptɪd/). It has three syllables (e-rupt-ed), with the stress on "rupt". Erupted is the past tense of erupt, meaning to burst forth suddenly, often with force or energy, as a volcano or emotion. It denotes a rapid emission or release that interrupts normal conditions, typically lasting only a moment but having noticeable impact. In usage, it describes a sudden, explosive action that can be literal (lava) or figurative (laughter, anger).
Erupted is the past tense of erupt, meaning to burst forth suddenly, often with force or energy, as a volcano or emotion. It denotes a rapid emission or release that interrupts normal conditions, typically lasting only a moment but having noticeable impact. In usage, it describes a sudden, explosive action that can be literal (lava) or figurative (laughter, anger).
- You might pronounce it as ee-ROOP-ted or as er-UHPT-ED with a weak end; both flatten the rhythm and obscure the stress. - 2-3 common challenges: misplacing stress (e-RUP-ted), mispronouncing /pt/ as /p/ or /t/ with no release, and not clearly voicing the final /d/. - To correct: practice the /pt/ release as a crisp sequence, ensure the stress on rup-, and produce a distinct final /d/ with voicing. - Drill with minimal pairs like erupt/erupted vs erupting/erupts to hear how tense endings change the rhythm. - Use a mirror to monitor mouth positions: lips, tongue, and jaw need to coordinate for the /p/ release into /t/.
"The volcano erupted after years of quiet."
"She erupted with laughter at the joke."
"They erupted in protest when the decision was announced."
Pronounce as /ɪˈrʌptɪd/ in US and UK. The primary stress falls on the second syllable: i-RUP-ted. Start with a short, lax vowel /ɪ/ like in 'kit', then /ɹ/ with a lowered tongue, followed by /ʌ/ as in 'strut', then /pt/ cluster with an aspirated /p/ and a light /t/ releasing into /ɪ/ then /d/. For Australian speakers, the /ɹ/ may be less rhotic in some environments, but most speakers produce /ɹ/ in borrowed words and standard speech. Listen for the quick onset of /ɹɪ/ after the stressed syllable, ending with a clear /d/.
Common errors include misplacing the stress as e-RUP-ted, leading to a flattened rhythm; pronouncing the /pt/ cluster as /p/ or /t/ with no release; and shortening the final /ed/ to /ɪd/ or omitting the final /d/. Correct by keeping the secondary stress on -rup- and ensuring the /p/ is released into a brief aspirated stop before the /t/ and the final /d/ is audible. Practice with IPA: /ɪˈrʌptɪd/ and emphasize the /pt/ release.
In US English, /ɪˈrʌptɪd/ with rhotic /ɹ/ and a clear /d/. UK English tends to preserve a similar /ɹ/ in non-rhotic environments but may have a slightly shorter /ɪ/ and more clipped r-sound depending on the speaker. Australian English generally follows US patterns for this word, with a broad /ɪ/ and a more centralized vowel in some regional accents; the /t/ may be glottalized less often in careful speech. Overall, the primary differences lie in the vowel quality of /ɪ/ and /ɜː/ variants in some dialects, plus rhotic vs non-rhotic articulation.
It challenges you with the consonant cluster /pt/ and the quick transition from the stressed vowel to the unaccented syllables. The /ɹ/ before the vowel can be tricky for non-native speakers, and the -ed ending requires a clean /d/ without devoicing. Focus your mouth to release the /p/ into a brief /t/ and maintain the /ɪ/ vowel before the final /d/. IPA cue: /ɪˈrʌptɪd/ keeps the rhythm strong on -rup- and a crisp end.
A unique feature is the strong, immediate /pt/ release after the stressed vowel. You need a deliberate, one-phoneme transition from /p/ to /t/ with a short burst between them, not a single alveolar stop. The endings -ed in past-tense often run together, but here you should clearly articulate the /ɪd/ sequence and end with /d/. This helps distinguish it from similar forms like erupt or eruption.
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- US: rhotic /ɹ/ with clear /ɪ/ before the /ˈrʌp/. The vowel in the stressed syllable tends to be shorter and punchier; keep the /t/ crisp before the final /ɪd/. - UK: more non-rhotic tendency; the /ɹ/ may be softer or absent in some contexts, affecting the flow into the /ɪ/; ensure the /t/ remains a distinct release. - AU: tends to align with US intonation; ensure a natural /ɹ/ and a clear final /d/. Vowel quality in /ɪ/ may be slightly more centralized. - Across all: keep the /pt/ cluster tight, avoid a long vowel before t; practice with IPA /ɪˈrʌptɪd/.
Erupt derives from Latin eruptus, past participial form of eruere, meaning to push out or drive out. Eruptus itself comes from e- (out) + rumpere (to break, to burst). The Latin root rumpere is related to rupture and disruption, tracing back to Proto-Italic and further to Proto-Indo-European roots meaning to break apart. In English, erupted appeared in the early modern period as a past tense verb form of erupt, which was borrowed into Middle English from Old French eruptier, and ultimately from Latin eruere. The sense broadened from literal geologic bursts to sudden expressions or events in human contexts. By the 17th–18th centuries, erupted was commonly used in scientific and literary texts to describe volcanic activity and later extended to emotional and social outbursts. Today, erupted retains a strong sense of sudden, forceful release, contrasting with more measured or gradual verbs like spewed or bloomed, and is frequently used in both narrative and analytic prose to mark a decisive, explosive moment in time.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "erupted" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "erupted" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "erupted"
-ted sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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