2 syllables: Ex, alt. Stress on alt.
ig-ZAWLT
/ɪˈɡzɔlt/
Exalt is pronounced ig-ZAWLT (/ɪˈɡzɔlt/). It has two syllables (Ex-alt), with the stress on "alt". Exalt is a verb meaning to praise or glorify something or someone, often with heightened enthusiasm or religious reverence. It can also mean to raise something to a higher level or status. In use, it implies elevating approval, honor, or dignity beyond ordinary praise, sometimes with ceremonial or formal connotations.
verbExalt is a verb meaning to praise or glorify something or someone, often with heightened enthusiasm or religious reverence. It can also mean to raise something to a higher level or status. In use, it implies elevating approval, honor, or dignity beyond ordinary praise, sometimes with ceremonial or formal connotations.
"The community gathered to exalt the achievements of their local athletes."
"She exalted the memory of her mentor with a touching tribute."
"The sermon exhorted the congregation and exalted God’s power."
Exalt is pronounced /ɪɡˈzɔːlt/ in US, UK, and AU variants. The first syllable is a short, lax /ɪ/ as in 'it', followed by a hard 'gz' cluster, then a stressed /ɔː/ vowel as in 'law', ending with a clear /lt/ cluster. The stress falls on the second syllable: ex-ALT. Mouth position: begin with a relaxed jaw, place the tongue high and back for the /ɡzɔː/ portion, then release into a touch of final /l/ with a light /t/. Audio reference: you can hear this sound in many dictionaries and on pronunciation tools.
Two common errors: (1) Dropping the final /t/ and ending with /ɒl/ or /ɔːl/; ensure you release the final /t/ sharply after the /l/. (2) Misplacing the primary stress on the first syllable as ex-ALT rather than on ALT; keep the stress on ALT for natural cadence. To correct, practice the sequence /ɪ/ - /ɡˈzɔːlt/, exaggerating the second syllable stress in slow practice, then taper to natural speed.
In US, the /ɔː/ in the second syllable can be slightly raised, with a longer, rounded /ɔː/ before the /l/; UK tends to a crisper /ɔː/ with less vowel length variance; Australian follows a similar /ɔː/ but with a shorter monophthong quality and subtler lip rounding. Overall, the primary stress remains on ALT; the vowel quality and syllable duration vary slightly with rhoticity and vowel length across the regions.
Challenges center on the two-syllable structure and the /ɡz/ cluster. English speakers can mispronounce by misplacing the /g/ or swallowing the /z/ into a simple /z/ reduction, or by turning ALT into /ɒlt/ or /ɔːlt} with inconsistent vowel length. Focus on keeping the /ɡz/ sequence clean, with the /z/ clearly audible before /ɔː/ and finishing with a precise /lt/ release.
Unique: The /ɡz/ sequence is a voiced cluster that often lands as a single syllabic flow; ensure you don’t break it into separate /ɡ/ and /z/ accents. The correct articulation requires quick, smooth transition from /ɡ/ into /z/ without an extra vowel. IPA: /ɪɡˈzɔːlt/. Mouth: start with a slightly open jaw for /ɪ/ and glide into a tight, aspirated /ɡz/ before the rounded /ɔː/ and final /lt/.
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Exalt derives from the Latin exaltare, formed from ex- (out, upward) + altus (high, deep, tall). The Latin root altus appears in several related terms and carried the core sense of height or elevation. Exaltatus (lifted up) evolved into Old French exaltier, then Anglo-French exaltter before entering Middle English as exalt. The term historically carried religious overtones, equating to lifting praise or worship upward, and later expanded to secular uses such as elevating status or esteem. By the 16th–17th centuries, exalt not only described praising deities but also raising someone to a higher esteem or rank. In modern English, exalt retains both senses: intense praise and elevation of status or value. First known uses in English literature appear in religious and ceremonial contexts, with broader secular usage gradually increasing in the Early Modern period. The word’s evolution mirrors shifts in social rhetoric, from ritual exaltation to everyday emphatic praise and elevation. Usage continues in formal writing, religious discourse, and expressive, figurative language.
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Words that rhyme with "Exalt"
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