2 syllables: ex, ist. Stress on ist.
ig-ZIST
/ɪˈɡzɪst/
exist is pronounced ig-ZIST (/ɪˈɡzɪst/). It has two syllables (ex-ist), with the stress on "ist". Exist means to have actual being or presence, as opposed to merely appearing or imagined. It also denotes the act of living or continuing to be present over time. In usage, it often carries existential or philosophical nuance, but in everyday language it simply asserts presence or occurrence.
Exist means to have actual being or presence, as opposed to merely appearing or imagined. It also denotes the act of living or continuing to be present over time. In usage, it often carries existential or philosophical nuance, but in everyday language it simply asserts presence or occurrence.
- You may insert a vowel or reduce the second syllable inadvertently; keep the strong second beat /ˈzɪst/ while maintaining exact /ɡ/ onset. - Don’t let the /gz/ cluster blur; ensure you don’t produce a longer pause between /ɡ/ and /z/. - A common issue is ending with a soft /t/ or an unreleased /t/; land the /t/ as a brief alveolar stop. - In rapid speech, people may skip the first /ɪ/ or reduce it; keep it as a crisp, short vowel for clarity. - Practice with minimal pairs like exist vs exit to feel the /gz/ cluster and stress pattern.”,
"The ancient ruins may still exist despite the passage of centuries."
"Do ghosts exist, or is it just a trick of the mind?"
"Small businesses exist because people need local services."
Pronounce it as /ɪɡˈzɪst/. Start with a short /ɪ/ in the first syllable, then a hard /g/ or /ɡ/ immediately into the /zɪ/ onset of the second syllable, and finish with /st/. Stress falls on the second syllable: diacritic: ɪɡˈzɪst. Keep the tongue close to the alveolar ridge for the /t/ at the end. If speaking quickly, the /gz/ sequence may sound like a single /gz/ blend.”,
Common mistakes include pronouncing /ɡz/ as separate exaggerated sounds or misplacing stress on the first syllable. Some speakers flatten the /ɪ/ in the first syllable to a schwa, saying /əɡˈzɪst/. Others run the ending /st/ together too loosely, making it sound like /ɪɡˈzist/ or /ɪkˈzɪst/. To fix: keep the first vowel crisp /ɪ/, maintain the /gz/ cluster tightly, and land the final /t/ with a clear alveolar contact.”,
In US, /ɪɡˈzɪst/ with a rhotic, straightforward vowel quality, and clear /t/ final. UK typically maintains the same /ɪɡˈzɪst/ but may have slightly more relaxed vowel coloration and crisper /t/ due to accent variation. Australian often features vowel quality similar to General Australian, but with subtly shorter pre-stress vowel and very precise consonant articulation; some speakers may noticeably devoice or soften the /t/ in rapid speech. Overall, the rhyme position stays on the second syllable across accents.”,
The difficulty centers on the /gz/ cluster bridging two syllables and the final /t/ in rapid speech. Articulating /ɡ/ and the sibilant /z/ in one motion requires precise timing to avoid an unintended pause or mispronounced /gz/ sequence. Additionally, maintaining the pitch and stress on the second syllable without tensing the tongue for the final /t/ can be challenging. Focus on a smooth transition from /ɡ/ to /z/ and a crisp, quick /t/ without letting the tongue stifle the airflow.”,
No silent letters in exist. Each letter contributes to its sounds: the initial vowel /ɪ/ in /ɪɡ/, the /ɡ/ before /z/ creates the /gz/ blend, then /ɪ/ on the second syllable, and a clear /st/ at the end. The sequence /ɡz/ may feel like a single affricate in fluent speech, but it isn’t silent—each phoneme actively shapes the sound.”}]},{
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- US: rhotic /r/ is not directly involved in exist, but you’ll hear a bright /ɪ/ and crisp /z/; ensure the pre-stress vowel stays lax but clear. - UK: slight vowel quality shift; keep the /ɪ/ near the beat but slightly clipped; maintain a clear /t/ end. - AU: may have more relaxed vowel duration; ensure the final /t/ remains crisp; keep the /gz/ cluster audible. Use IPA notes to compare actual vowel length and voicing; cross-check with native speech. - Focus on the second syllable’s vowel sound /ɪ/ and the /z/ joining the /g/.”,
Exist comes from the Latin existere, formed from ex- ‘out, forth’ and sistere ‘to cause to stand, to set, to cause to exist’. The sense evolution tracks Latin from ‘to stand out’ or ‘to arise’ to English borrowings in Old French and Middle English, maintaining the core idea of coming into being or being present. Early records show exist as a theological or philosophical term relating to beings and their presence in the world. By Middle English, it stretched to practical uses like ‘to be present’ or ‘to occur’, cementing its functional role in everyday speech and formal prose. Throughout the 16th–18th centuries, exist gained emphasis in scientific and philosophical discourse (e.g., debates about the nature of reality, existence of universal truths). In modern English, exist primarily marks reality or presence, while remaining a versatile verb that supports numerous tenses and modal constructions. First known uses appear in late medieval Latin-influenced English texts, with the dictionary sense consolidating by the early modern period.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "exist" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "exist" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "exist"
-ist sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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