3 syllables: Ex, haust, ed. Stress on haust.
ig-ZAW-stid
/ɪˈɡzɔstɪd/
Exhausted is pronounced ig-ZAW-stid (/ɪˈɡzɔstɪd/). It has three syllables (Ex-haust-ed), with the stress on "haust". Exhausted is an adjective meaning extremely tired or drained of energy. It describes a state of physical or mental weariness, often after prolonged effort or stress. In usage, it conveys a high degree of fatigue and can describe both temporary conditions and more prolonged exhaustion.
adjectiveExhausted is an adjective meaning extremely tired or drained of energy. It describes a state of physical or mental weariness, often after prolonged effort or stress. In usage, it conveys a high degree of fatigue and can describe both temporary conditions and more prolonged exhaustion.
- Commonly you might place the stress on the first syllable (EX-hausted) or reduce the middle vowel to a schwa; both slow you down and weaken intelligibility. - You may run the /t/ into the /ɪ/ creating /tɪ/ in the second syllable or pronounce /z/ too softly, making it sound like 'exhausted' without the /z/ clarity. - Final -ed may be pronounced as /t/ or /d/ in rapid speech; maintain the voiced /d/ at the end when the syllable ends open, or use /ɪd/ in careful speech. Practical tips: exaggerate the haust vowel slightly at first, then normalize. - Use minimal pairs: exhaust /ɪɡˈzɔːst/ vs exhausted /ɪɡˈzɔstɪd/ to hear the added syllable.
How to Pronounce Exhausted
"After the long hike, she felt completely exhausted and collapsed on the sofa."
"The team was exhausted after a grueling week of meetings and late nights."
"He looked exhausted, with bags under his eyes and a slack posture."
Break it into three syllables: ex-HAUST-ed. IPA US: ɪɡˈzɔstɪd; UK/AU: ɪɡˈzɔːstɪd. The primary stress is on the second syllable: haust. The vowel in the second syllable is a broad /ɔː/ (UK/AU) or a clipped /ɔ/ in many US dialects. Ensure the /z/ is voiced and the final -ed sounds like /ɪd/ or /ɪd/ in connected speech. A practical cue: imagine the mouth closing slightly around /ɔː/ and then opening quickly for /stɪd/.”,
Common errors: 1) misplacing stress, saying eXHAUST-ed with wrong emphasis; 2) using a short /ɔ/ in haust; 3) dropping the final /d/ or turning it into a silent -ed. Correction: emphasize the second syllable with a clear /ɔː/ or /ɔ/ depending on accent, keep the /st/ cluster tight before /ɪd/, and finish with a crisp voiced /d/ (or /ɪd/ in rapid speech). Practice slow: (ɪɡˈzɔːstɪd) and then connect smoothly in natural speech.”,
US often shows a shorter /ɔ/ or /ɒ/ before /st/, with non-rhotic tendencies less pronounced in some regions; UK typically features a longer /ɔː/ in haust, with strong rhoticity limited to some speakers; Australian tends toward a centralized vowel with a clean /ɒ/ or /ɔː/ depending on region, plus very clear /t/ before /ɪd/. The primary difference is the length and quality of the haust vowel and whether the r coloring affects surrounding vowels. Remember: stress remains on the second syllable in all.”,
Because the haust cluster blends /h/ with a rounded /ɔː/ before /st/, and the following /ɪ/ can reduce vowels in rapid speech, causing a rushed /ˈzɔstɪd/ or /ˈzɔːstɪd/ depending on accent. The final -ed can be /ɪd/ or just /d/ in connected speech, leading to confusion for learners. Focus on a steady middle vowel in haust and a clean, voiced /d/. IPA reference: ɪɡˈzɔstɪd.”,
A unique trait is the sharp /st/ cluster preceding the final /ɪd/ or /d/. Ensure the /t/ is not elided in careful speech; in fast speech you may hear a softer /t/ or flapped /ɾ/ in some US dialects, but in careful pronunciation keep the /t/ crisp and the /d/ voiced. Also maintain the secondary stress pattern and avoid turning haust into a separate, clipped syllable. IPA cue: /ɪɡˈzɔstɪd/.”]} , {
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- US: Vowels tend to be shorter and less rounded in stressed haust; rhoticity affects coloring of surrounding vowels around /r/ none here, but the /ɜ/ in neighboring words may intrude in connected speech. - UK: Use longer /ɔː/ in haust; keep /t/ crisp, non-flapped; final /ɪd/ pronounced fully. - AU: Similar to UK in haust but with broader diphthongs and less rhotic influence; maintain clear /ɡ/ through haʊ/ but the central vowel can be more open. Reference IPA: US ɪɡˈzɔstɪd, UK/AU ɪɡˈzɔːstɪd. - For all: keep primary stress on haust; practice slow, then accelerate while maintaining vowel quality.
Exhausted comes from the verb exhaust, from Latin exhaurire “to draw out, drain,” from ex- “out” + haurire “to drain, draw up.” The Middle English form exhausted appeared in the 15th century as a past participle meaning “drained of strength.” Over time, usage narrowed to describe a state of extreme fatigue rather than merely being emptied of resources. The prefix ex- contributes the sense of “out of,” while haurire evolved to convey the act of drawing out or using up a resource. By the 19th and 20th centuries, exhausted was common in both literal (physical) and figurative contexts (emotional exhaustion, mental depletion). Today, exhausted is widely used in everyday speech and writing to express a strong level of tiredness, with nuances of lingering fatigue rather than transient sleepiness. The word has kept its core sense of depletion tied to energy, but in modern usage it can also describe burnout, fatigue after intense emotional strain, or extensive exertion, often accompanied by a sense of relief or lack of energy to continue. It is commonly used in both casual and formal contexts, and its adverbial form is exhaustively in certain contexts, though more commonly exhausted is used adjectivally with linking verbs (felt exhausted, became exhausted).
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Exhausted" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Exhausted"
-ted sounds
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