4 syllables: Ex, ha, la, tion. Stress on la.
eks-huh-LAY-shuhn
/ˌɛkshəˈleɪʃən/
Exhalation is pronounced eks-huh-LAY-shuhn (/ˌɛkshəˈleɪʃən/). It has four syllables (Ex-ha-la-tion), with the stress on "la". Exhalation (noun) is the act or process of breathing out air from the lungs. It contrasts with inhalation and typically follows inhalation in the breathing cycle. The term emphasizes the outward release of air through the mouth or nose, often involving abdominal and chest muscle engagement to propel air outward. It is used in medical, physiological, and everyday contexts.
nounExhalation (noun) is the act or process of breathing out air from the lungs. It contrasts with inhalation and typically follows inhalation in the breathing cycle. The term emphasizes the outward release of air through the mouth or nose, often involving abdominal and chest muscle engagement to propel air outward. It is used in medical, physiological, and everyday contexts.
Tip: slow it down, then gradually increase speed while keeping the /ˈleɪ/ stressed and crisp.
"During the exhalation phase, you should feel the diaphragm relax and the lungs release air."
"The patient demonstrated a slow exhalation to help with controlled breathing during the exercise."
"Her exhalation was audible as she finished the long, tired sigh."
Pronounce as eks-hā-ˈlā-shən (US: /ˌɛk.səˈleɪ.ʃən/, UK: /ˌeks.əˈleɪ.ʃən/, AU: /ˌɛk.səˈleɪ.ʃən/). The primary stress is on the third syllable 'lā' (/ˈleɪ/), with secondary stress on the first syllable in many careful pronunciations. Start with /ɛ/ or /e/ in the first syllable, then a light /k/ and /s/ blend, a schwa or /ə/ in the second syllable, a clear /eɪ/ in the third, and end with /ʃən/ or /ən/.
Common errors include reducing the word to 'ex-AL-ation' with misplaced primary stress on the second or third syllable, or turning the 'ex' into a hard /ɪgˈz/ rather than /ˈɛk/; another frequent mistake is merging /leɪ/ with the following /ʃən/ producing /leɪʃən/ too abruptly. Correct by clearly articulating /ˌɛk.səˈleɪ.ʃən/ with a light /ə/ in the second syllable and a well-pronounced /leɪ/ before the /ʃən/ cluster.
In US, you’ll hear /ˌɛk.səˈleɪ.ʃən/ with rhotic influence but not strong r after vowels; UK often shows /ˌeks.əˈleɪ.ʃən/ with non-rhoticity and crisp /ˈleɪ/. Australian tends toward /ˌɛk.səˈleɪ.ʃən/ with a slightly flatter vowel in the first syllable and a tendency to reduce unstressed vowels. Across all, the /leɪ/ vowel is the nucleus; the main variation is vowel quality in the first two syllables and the degree of rhoticity in connected speech.
It challenges learners with a multi-syllabic word that balances clear /k/ onset, proper stress on the third syllable, and a precise /leɪ/ diphthong before /ʃən/. The cluster /tʃən/ in fast speech can blur to /tən/ as you speed up; maintain a distinct /leɪ/ and a light, aspirated /h/ if you include the /h/ after /k/ to avoid /ks/ blending. Practice slow, then speed up while keeping segments crisp.
There is no silent letter in exhalation when spoken; all letters contribute to pronunciation: the initial /ɛ/ and /k/ blend, the secondary schwa, the /ˈleɪ/ nucleus, and the final /ʃən/ or /ən/. However, in casual speech the final /ən/ can reduce to a syllabic nasal or a weaker /ən/; in careful diction, keep both the /ʃ/ and the /ən/ distinct.
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Exhalation comes from the Latin ex-, meaning 'out of' or 'from', and halare, meaning 'to breathe' (related to halitus, breath). The word joined English through Middle English, influenced by Old French exhaler and Latin roots, maintaining a literal sense of 'blowing out' or 'breathing out'. Initially used in medical or physiological discourse, it later extended to general breathing contexts. The first known uses appear in medical writings of the 16th-17th centuries as anatomical terms describing the act of expelling air from the lungs, with increasing usage in later scientific literature and everyday language as respiratory physiology became more widely taught. Over time, exhalation has retained its precise, clinical nuance while also functioning as a common term in descriptions of exercise, singing, and stress responses. The word robustly carries the sense of outward air movement and disengagement of inhalation activities in a single breath cycle.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Exhalation" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Exhalation"
-ion sounds
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