2 syllables: Ex, cess. Stress on Ex.
EK-ses
/ˈɛˌksɛs/
Excess is pronounced EK-ses (/ˈɛˌksɛs/). It has two syllables (Ex-cess), with the stress on "Ex". Excess is a noun meaning an amount or degree beyond what is necessary, normal, or expected. It can also refer to surplus or overabundance in a given context, such as spending, weight, or force. The term often carries a sense of excessiveness or exceeding a limit, and it appears in formal and everyday usage alike.
nounExcess is a noun meaning an amount or degree beyond what is necessary, normal, or expected. It can also refer to surplus or overabundance in a given context, such as spending, weight, or force. The term often carries a sense of excessiveness or exceeding a limit, and it appears in formal and everyday usage alike.
"The company faced penalties for producing an excess of waste beyond regulatory limits."
"There was an excess of enthusiasm at the rally, which bordered on reckless exuberance."
"She donated the excess funds to a charity that needed extra resources."
Pronounce as two syllables: EX-cess. Primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US /ˈɛk.sɛs/; UK/AU often /ˈek.ses/. The first vowel is a short front open-mid /ɛ/ (like 'bed'), the second syllable uses a clear /s/ before the final /s/. In careful speech, avoid merging the second vowel. Audio reference: listen for the crisp /k/ onset and the final /s/ frication. Practice by isolating the onset cluster /ˈɛk/ then glide into /sɛs/.
Common errors include: (1) Replacing the /ɛ/ in the first syllable with a lax /eɪ/ or /iː/, which makes it sound like ‘ex-EES’ rather than ‘EX-ses’. (2) Skipping the short /ɪ/ or misproducing the second syllable as /ks/ instead of /sɛs/, leading to ‘ek-ses’ with weak /s/ at the end. (3) Tensing the vowel before /k/ and causing an intrusive vowel. Correction: keep /ɛ/ in the first syllable, use a clean /k/ onset, and finish with a crisp /s/; ensure the second syllable has /s/ + /ɛs/.
In US English, /ˈɛk.sɛs/ with a clear /ɛ/ in both syllables and a straightforward /ˈ/. In many UK pronunciations, you’ll hear /ˈek.ses/ with a slightly crisper second syllable and reduced /ɛ/ in rapid speech. Australian English tends toward /ˈek.ses/ with less vowel height difference in the first syllable and a light, almost clipped final /s/. Rhoticity is not a major factor for this word, but US flattens the first vowel slightly and UK/AU may reduce the second vowel more in connected speech.
The difficulty lies in balancing two short, high-contrast vowels across syllables and maintaining a crisp final /s/. The first syllable /ˈɛk/ requires a tense yet short vowel; the second /sɛs/ demands clear /s/ segments with an approximate /e/ quality. Ligature between /k/ and /s/ can bleed if the tongue is not anchored. The challenge is avoiding vowel reduction in careful speech and preventing the final /s/ from turning into a /z/ voice. IPA cues help you keep the contrast crisp.
Yes. Although written as 'Excess,' the 'x' in the first syllable contributes to the /k/ sound cluster /ɡˈk/ effect when followed by /s/. In careful articulation, you’ll produce /ˈɛk/ with a hard /k/ before the /s/ of the second syllable. Do not produce a separate /gz/ sound; keep /k/ release tight and let the /s/ begin the second syllable cleanly for a two-syllable rhythm.
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Excess originates from the Latin obsessus, meaning “over, beyond,” via the Old French exceder, meaning “to exceed, go beyond.” The root ex- means “out of, beyond,” and -cess derives from Latin cess- meaning “go, yield.” In Middle English, excess/excesse referred to going beyond measure or bounds, often tied to excess in emotion, behavior, or quantity. The word shifted in usage toward describing quantities that surpass a limit, especially monetary, physical, or moral bounds. By early modern English, excess carried a strong sense of something more than required or proper, frequently implying measure and restraint are advised. First known uses appear in legal and religious writings addressing moderation, with secular adoption following in economic and scientific discourse as societies grappled with waste, overproduction, and extravagance. Over centuries, “excess” maintained its core meaning of going beyond a permissible threshold while also adopting figurative senses (excess of speed, excess grief). Today, it retains a formal tone in many contexts but remains common in everyday language, especially when discussing budgets, health, or risk, and it often collocates with adjectives like “dangerous,” “statistical,” or “excessive.”
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Excess" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Excess" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Excess"
-ess sounds
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