3 syllables: Ex, am, ined. Stress on am.
ig-ZAM-uhnd
/ɪˈɡzæmənd/
Examined is pronounced ig-ZAM-uhnd (/ɪˈɡzæmənd/). It has three syllables (Ex-am-ined), with the stress on "am". Examined is the past tense verb meaning to have inspected or studied something in detail. It conveys careful scrutiny or analysis, often involving questioning or testing. In usage, it appears in formal or descriptive contexts, signaling completed investigation or assessment.
verbExamined is the past tense verb meaning to have inspected or studied something in detail. It conveys careful scrutiny or analysis, often involving questioning or testing. In usage, it appears in formal or descriptive contexts, signaling completed investigation or assessment.
"The panel examined the data thoroughly before presenting their conclusions."
"She examined the painting for signs of restoration."
"They examined all possible explanations before choosing the course of action."
Phonetically, it is /ɪɡˈzæmɪnd/. Start with a light /ɪ/ in the first syllable, then a clear /ɡ/ + /ˈzæm/ stalked syllable with primary stress on 'zam', and finish with a short /ɪnd/. The /z/ is voiced and should be crisp; ensure the /m/ is bilabial and the /nd/ is a light dental-alveolar end. In connected speech, you’ll often hear the final /d/ lightly released. Audio resources: pronounce or Forvo can provide native pronunciations for reference.
Common errors include misplacing the stress (speaking ig-ZAM-ind with weak second syllable), misarticulating the /z/ as /s/ (sounding ‘isamined’), and running the final /nd/ into a nasal or blending it with a /t/ or /d/. Correct by ensuring /z/ is voiced, keeping /æ/ as a clear short vowel in the second syllable, and stopping cleanly with /nd/ instead of a fused nasal-plus-stop. Practice with minimal pairs to isolate the /z/ and the final cluster.
US, UK, and AU share the same primary stress pattern on the second syllable, but vowel quality and fluency vary. US and UK typically pronounce /ɡˈzæmɪnd/ with a more open /æ/ and crisper /z/; Australian tends to be slightly vowel-neutral with a more relaxed /ɪ/ before the final /nd/ and a less released final /d/. All three maintain the /ɡ/ onset and /nd/ coda, but subtle vowel height and r-lessness (UK, AU) influence overall timbre.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster around the stressed syllable: a voiced /z/ followed by /æ/ and a quick /m/ before the /ɪnd/ ending. The tongue must shift rapidly from a velar /ɡ/ to a palato-alveolar /z/ without adding extra vowels, then close with a clipped /nd/. Additionally, the final /nd/ can trail unstressed in rapid speech, making the word sound like /ɪɡˈzæmən/ unless you actively release the /nd/.
A distinctive feature is the crisp /z/ followed by a short, lax vowel in the second syllable; this creates a tight syllable boundary that helps the listener identify the verb’s past action. You’ll notice a clear boundary between /zæm/ and /ɪnd/. Focusing on a slightly raised /æ/ compared to a more neutral /ə/ in fast speech maintains the word’s recognizability even when spoken quickly.
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Examined originated from the Latin exāmināre, meaning to weigh, test, or prove. The root ex- means out, and asūmō or sīmus relates to value or weighing; later adaptions contributed to the sense of testing or searching. In Late Latin, exāmināre appeared as a term for weighing or testing something to determine its truth or quality. The form entered Old French as esaminer, carrying the sense of weighing or investigating, and from there it entered Middle English as examinen and examination. The modern past participle examined emerges from the verb form with the standard English -ed participle, preserving its notion of completed action. The word’s semantic trajectory shifted from physical weighing and testing to broader analytical scrutinization across disciplines, including legal, scientific, and educational contexts. The common phrase “examined” has become a staple in formal reporting, describing actions completed in the course of inquiry or evaluation. First known use attested in medieval texts as esaminer, with evolving spellings reflecting shifts in English pronunciation and French influence during the Norman and later periods, solidifying in the modern spelling by the 16th–17th centuries.
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Words that rhyme with "Examined"
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