Executory is an adjective describing a state, duty, or power that has not yet been fully carried out or realized. It often pertains to pending functions, obligations, or authorities that remain to be fulfilled, especially in legal, administrative, or contractual contexts.
"The executory agreement awaits final approval from the board."
"An executory contract becomes enforceable only after the conditions are met."
"The executor raised questions about the executory provisions of the will."
"They entered into an executory arrangement, pending regulatory clearance."
Executory derives from late Latin executorius, meaning 'carrying out, performing,' itself from the verb exsequor, exsequi 'to follow out, carry out' composed of ex- 'out' + sequor 'to follow.' The sense evolved from the general notion of 'carrying out a task' to a specialized legal-administrative term describing duties or powers that remain to be performed or enforced. In English, the adjective form appears in the 16th–17th centuries as a descriptor of acts, powers, or provisions not yet realized, pending, or to be executed. The word is often paired with contracts, wills, or duties—e.g., executory contract, executory provisions—where execution or fulfillment is anticipated rather than complete. Over time, it retained its formal, legal register but has broadened to describe any pending action or unfinished process in both legal and everyday administrative language.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Executory" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Executory"
-ory sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as /ɪɡˈzɛk.jʊ.tɔː.ri/ (US) or /ˌɛk.sɪˈkjuː.tə.ri/ (UK) with primary stress on the second-to-last syllable in most US variants and on the third syllable in some UK variants. Start with a short 'ig' like in 'pig,' then 'zek' with a crisp 'z' and 'e' as in 'bet,' followed by a light 'yu' /jʊ/ before a long 'to' /tɔː/ and ending with a clear 'ree' /ri/. Audio references: you can compare with pronunciations on Pronounce, Cambridge, or Forvo entries for executory.
Common errors include flattening the stress to the first syllable (eɪk-), misplacing the 'z' sound (eɡ), or slurring the -ory ending into a 'ree' without full vowel clarity (ɪɡˈzɛk.jʊ.tɔː.ɹi). To correct: keep stress on the penultimate or antepenultimate depending on accent, clearly pronounce the 'z' as /z/, and enunciate each syllable, especially the /tɔː/ and final /ri/ clusters. Practice with slow, then faster, recitation with recording.
In US English, the common form is /ɪɡˈzɛk.jʊ.tɔː.ri/ with clear /z/ and a rhotic 'r' at the end. UK English tends toward /ˌɛk.sɪˈkjuː.tə.ri/ or /ɪkˈsɛk.tɒ.rɪ/ in some fast forms, with less pronounced rhotics. Australian English often resembles UK patterns with non-rhotic tendencies in careful speech, long vowels in the /ɔː/ of -tory, and a slightly higher central vowel in the /ɪ/ of the initial syllable. Listen to regionally varied pronunciations to capture subtle vowel shifts.
It involves a multi-syllabic, loosely connected sequence with two unstressed syllables around a strong internal cluster: ex-EC-u-to-ry. The primary challenges are the mid-back /ɛ/ vowel in the stressed syllable, the /z/ immediately followed by /k/ cluster, and the /j/ sound after the /z/ (zju- or zju-). Practicing with slow, deliberate syllable-by-syllable articulation and then linking into smooth, natural speech helps reduce hesitation and improves rhythm.
The word stresses the root 'exec-' with a secondary stress pattern that makes the -ory ending prominent only after the internal clusters have been released. Focus on the transition from /z/ to /j/ to /ɔː/ and finalize with /ri/. This produces a crisp enunciation: ig-ZEK-yoo-TOH-ree or ek-suh-KYOO-tuh-ree depending on accent. Mastery comes from recording and comparing to credible dictionaries or pronouncing resources like Pronounce.
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