4 syllables: ex, pec, ta, tion. Stress on ta.
ek-spek-TAY-shuhn
/ˌɛkspɛˈkteɪʃən/
expectation is pronounced ek-spek-TAY-shuhn (/ˌɛkspɛˈkteɪʃən/). It has four syllables (ex-pec-ta-tion), with the stress on "ta". Expectation is a noun referring to a belief that something will happen or be the case, often shaping one’s thoughts, actions, or standards. It also denotes the anticipated outcome or probability one considers likely. In everyday use, it can imply optimism or a norm-based standard one aims to meet, sometimes generating pressure or motivation.
Expectation is a noun referring to a belief that something will happen or be the case, often shaping one’s thoughts, actions, or standards. It also denotes the anticipated outcome or probability one considers likely. In everyday use, it can imply optimism or a norm-based standard one aims to meet, sometimes generating pressure or motivation.
- Misplacing stress on the first or second syllable; intentionally practice eks-PEK-ta-tion to force the third-syllable stress. - Slurred middle consonant cluster /ksp/ turning into /ks/ or /sp/; keep /k/ immediately after /p/ and maintain a crisp /k/ release before /sp/. - Final -tion often reduced to /ən/; aim for /ʃən/ with a light but audible /ʃ/. Practice with slow-to-fast progression and isolated chunk drills to stabilize the rhythm.
"Her expectation that the project would succeed kept the team motivated."
"There’s an unspoken expectation that you’ll arrive on time for meetings."
"The consumer’s expectations for quality influence the brand’s strategy."
Pronounce as /ˌekspekˈteɪʃən/. Break it into ex-pec-ta-tion with primary stress on the third syllable: eks-pek-TA-shən. The first two syllables blend quickly: /ˌɛksˌpɛk/ continues into /ˈteɪ/ and ends with /ʃən/. Try to keep the /k/ sound crisp and avoid adding extra vowel between syllables. For clarity, say eks-pek-TEI-shen in careful speech; in natural speech, the final “tion” reduces to /-ʃən/.
Common errors include misplacing the primary stress (often stressing the first syllable rather than the third), mispronouncing the middle /k/ as /t/ or swelling it to /k/ with an extra vowel, and truncating the final /ʃən/ into /ən/ or /ʃn/. Correct by anchoring the three-syllable rhythm: eks-pek-TA-shən, keeping the /k/ clean after /p/ and rounding the final /ən/ to a light schwa before /n/.
In US, the rhythm typically has three syllables with a strong mid-stress on -TEI- (eks-pek-TEI-shn). UK pronunciation follows a similar pattern but with subtler vowel qualities in /eɪ/ and a lighter final schwa. Australian can lower the second vowel slightly and may have a more clipped /ˈɛkspɛkˌteɪʃn/ with less vowel reduction in fast speech. Overall, rhoticity is consistent; the difference lies in vowel quality and stress timing.
The difficulty comes from the three-syllable structure with a notably stressed third syllable and a consonant cluster around /ksp/ that can tempt simplification. The /ɪ/ vs /eɪ/ distinction in the middle vowel, plus a final /ʃən/ that can become /ʒən/ or /ən/, challenges accurate articulation. Focus on keeping /ksp/ tightly bound, place primary stress on -TEI-, and finish with a crisp /ʃən/ rather than a schwa+n.
No letters are completely silent in standard pronunciation. All letters contribute to the pronunciation: the second syllable carries /p/ and /k/ sounds, the /t/ is pronounced in /ˈteɪʃn/ as /t/ before the /ʃ/ in the ending, and the final -tion is realized as /-ʃən/. The key is that none of the letters are entirely silent; some may be reduced in fast speech (e.g., /ən/).
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- US: rhotic /r/ is not relevant to expectation, but vowel timing is important: /eɪ/ in /ˈteɪ/ tends to be slightly longer, while /ə/ in the final syllable is reduced. - UK: more precise vowel realization; /eɪ/ can be tenser; final /ʃən/ tends to be clearer with less vowel reduction. - AU: faster syllable transitions; vowels may be slightly flatter; /ə/ in the final often reduced; keep the /t/ clear before /ʃ/. IPA references help track small shifts: /ˌekspekˈteɪʃn/ (US/UK/AU).
Expectation derives from the Latin expectatio, from expectare meaning to look out for, await, or await with anticipation. Expectare itself is formed from ex- (out) + spectare (to look, to watch). In late Latin the term began to denote looking forward to something as probable or desired. The English adoption appears by the 14th century, with early senses tied to looking out for outcomes or events and the sense of a belief or assume condition gradually broadening into the modern noun for anticipated future outcomes. Over time, the word broadened to cover social norms (what people expect of you), psychological state (expectation of success), and statistical probability (expected value), embracing both objective forecast and subjective hope. The phonological form became stable in Early Modern English, aligning with the general shift from “spect” to “spec” in similar words. First known uses appear in medieval writings where “expectation” described the act of waiting for something to occur and the judgment about likelihood, before evolving into contemporary analyses of standards and promises in both personal and professional contexts.
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Words that rhyme with "expectation"
-ion sounds
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