4 syllables: ex, pe, ri, enced. Stress on pe.
ik-SPIR-ee-uhnst
/ɪkˈspɪɹiənst/
experienced is pronounced ik-SPIR-ee-uhnst (/ɪkˈspɪɹiənst/). It has four syllables (ex-pe-ri-enced), with the stress on "pe". Experienced is an adjective meaning having knowledge or skill gained through long involvement or practice, or a past event involving someone’s participation. It conveys a sense of familiarity and competence developed over time, often implying practical know-how. It can also describe someone who has undergone specific events or trials. In context, it often modifies nouns like professional, traveler, or entrepreneur to emphasize seasoned capability.
Experienced is an adjective meaning having knowledge or skill gained through long involvement or practice, or a past event involving someone’s participation. It conveys a sense of familiarity and competence developed over time, often implying practical know-how. It can also describe someone who has undergone specific events or trials. In context, it often modifies nouns like professional, traveler, or entrepreneur to emphasize seasoned capability.
"She’s an experienced teacher who can handle difficult classrooms with calm authority."
"The experienced hiker led the group through the storm with confidence."
"We’re seeking an experienced consultant who can navigate complex regulatory environments."
You pronounce it as /ɪkˈspɪəriənst/ (US/UK). The stress is on the second syllable: ex-SPI-er-i-ence; the ending compresses to -ənst. The second syllable contains a long /ɪə/ sequence before a schwa + nst. Keep the /sp/ cluster clear, and end with a crisp /t/ or light /st/ in connected speech. An audio reference: try listening to standardized pronunciation in Cambridge or Oxford dictionaries for the /ɪkˈspɪəriənst/ pattern.
Common errors include flattening the second syllable to /ˈspɪri/ or misplacing the stress as ex-PER-i-enced. Another frequent issue is softening the final -ed into a simple /d/ sound instead of the -ənt ending, producing /-ənt/ ambiguity. Corrective focus: keep the second syllable centered on /ˈspɪə/ or /ˈspɪri/ with a clear /ənst/ at the end, ensuring the /t/ is audible in careful speech. Practicing with phrases will help reinforce the rhythm.
In US, UK, and AU, the core /ɪkˈspɪəriənst/ pattern is similar, but rhoticity affects the vowels and the /r/ may be more or less pronounced. US tends to have a clearer rhotic /r/ and slightly shorter /ə/ before t, while UK often reduces vowels more and keeps non-rhoticity in some accents. Australian speakers may have a flatter vowel quality and less vowel reduction in unstressed syllables, with the ending still pronounced as /ənst/ or /ənt/.
The difficulty comes from the multi-syllabic rhythm and the /sp/ cluster followed by a schwa and a final /nt/ or /st/. The sequence /ˈspɪə/ or /ˈspɪri/ requires precise articulation of a diphthong and a tense onset, while the final /ənst/ demands a crisp stop. The combination of a stressed mid syllable and a trailing, lighter ending makes timing crucial in fluent speech.
The word’s prefix ex- often carries reduced vowels in fast speech, but the vital feature is the strong secondary stress on the /spɪ/ portion and the subtle length on /ɪə/ before the /ənst/. Practically, you’ll hear or produce a light glide into two strong consonant sounds /sp/ and a pronounced negative space before the ending. Focus on sustaining the /sp/ as a robust onset and ending crisply with /ənst/.
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US vs UK vs AU: • US: rhotic /r/, somewhat clearer /ɪ/ in the first syllables, ending often with a crisp /st/ or /nt/ depending on speed; keep /ənst/ linked but not overly nasal. /ɪkˈspɪəriənst/. • UK: often non-rhotic; vowels in the second syllable may be shorter with less vowel length, emphasize /spɪə/ as a cohesive diphthong; /ɪkˈspɪəriənst/. • AU: flatter vowel space, less pronounced r-coloring; maintain /ɪkˈspɪəriənst/ with a softer /r/ equivalent; aim for a marginally reduced ending in quick speech. IPA references: US /ɪkˈspɪəriənst/, UK /ɪkˈspɪəriənst/, AU /ɪkˈspɪəriənst/.
Experienced derives from late Middle English, from the verb experience (from Old French experience, from Latin experientia ‘a trial, experiment, knowledge gained by trial’). The word experience itself comes from Latin experientia, from experiri ‘to try, test, prove’. Over time, experience evolved to describe both practical knowledge gained through involvement and the events one has undergone. The suffix -ed added to the verb form to yield the adjective experienced, indicating that someone has possessed the quality through accumulated experience. First known uses in English date to the 15th century, with the sense of having undergone events shaping capability. In modern usage, experienced emphasizes depth of knowledge and competence earned through sustained engagement in a field or activity, often contrasting with inexperience or novice status.
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Words that rhyme with "experienced"
-ted sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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