Expiration is the act of exhaling or the end of a period during which something is valid or in effect. In medicine or biology it refers to the outward breath, while in legal or contractual contexts it marks the term after which a contract or license ceases. The word emphasizes a final point in time or duration, with emphasis often on the second syllable.
US: rhotic? You’ll hear more rounded vowels and a clear /r/ in connected speech before the /eɪ/. UK: less rhotic influence; second syllable often more centralized /ə/. AU: slight vowel widening and faster tempo; keep /ə/ lighter but present. IPA cues: US /ɪk.spəˈreɪ.ʃən/; UK /ɪk.spəˈreɪ.ʃən/; AU /ɪk.spəˈreɪ.ʃən/. Focus on keeping /ˈreɪ/ stable while allowing a smaller, quick /ə/ in the second syllable. Vowel shifts: US /ə/ ~ /ɐ/; UK /ə/ remains central; AU /ə/ tends toward a more centralized mid. Consonants: /sp/ clusters, /ʃ/ before /ən/ are stable; avoid inserting extra vowels in the cluster.
"The expiration of the contract means we’ll need to renegotiate."
"Air expiration is essential for proper lung function during exercise."
"Be mindful of the expiration date on perishable foods."
"The company warned of expiration of the warranty after two years."
Expiration derives from Latin expirationem, from ex- 'out' + spirare 'to breathe'. The Latin root spira (breath) appears in expiration, respiration, and inspiration. In English, the verb form expire came into use in the 13th century, while expiration as a noun is attested later, around the 14th–15th centuries, originally to denote the act of breathing out or the completion of a period. The sense shift toward the notion of a deadline or term of validity developed in legal and administrative contexts in the 17th–18th centuries, as phrases like expiration date and expiration of a license became common. The word has thus acquired two primary domains: physiological (outward breath) and temporal/legal (end of a period). Modern usage often relies on the first-stressed second syllable pattern, with “ex-pi-RA-tion” in careful speech and “ex-pi-RATION” in some legal phrases, though common pronunciation tends to keep four syllables with the primary stress on the third syllable in many contexts. It remains a high-utility term across medical, legal, consumer, and everyday English.” ,
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Expiration" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Expiration" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Expiration"
-ion sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as /ɪk.spəˈreɪ.ʃən/ in General American, with the primary stress on the third syllable. The first syllable reduces to a short /ɪk/, the second is a schwa in many accents (spə), and the key nucleus is /ˈreɪ/ in the third syllable, followed by /ʃən/. For clarity, a slow articulation: i-k-SPER-AY-shun, but in fluent speech: /ɪk.spəˈreɪ.ʃən/. IPA helps reveal the reduced second syllable and the strong /eɪ/ in the third syllable.
Common errors include stressing the wrong syllable (say ‘ex-pi-RA-tion’ with primary stress on the second syllable) and flattening the /ˈreɪ/ to /rə/ or /ri/. Some speakers may mispronounce the final -ation as /-ən/ instead of /-ʃən/. Correction tips: keep the third syllable nucleus strong with /ˈreɪ/ and reduce the middle to a light schwa /ə/; practice the sequence i-k /ɪk/ then /spə/ then /ˈreɪ/ then /ʃən/. Use slow, deliberate syllable tapping: i-k-spə-REI-shən, before accelerating.
In US English, expect /ɪk.spəˈreɪ.ʃən/ with a rhotic linking rcream? None; the /r/ appears within the stressed syllable as /ˈreɪ/. In UK English, /ɪk.spəˈreɪ.ʃən/ is similar, but /ə/ in the second syllable tends to be closer to a schwa; non-rhoticity affects preceding vowels slightly, and /ɑ/ may be more centralized in some speakers. In Australian English, /ɪk.spəˈreɪ.ʃən/ remains similar in core vowels but with subtly broader /ɪ/ and a more compact, less precise /ə/ in the second syllable. Across accents, the primary stress remains on the third syllable, but vowel qualities shift slightly: /ə/ vs /ɪə/ nuances and the exact quality of /ˈreɪ/ can vary.
Key challenges are the multi-syllable rhythm and the cluster /sp/ followed by /ə/ and the strong /ˈreɪ/ nucleus. The sequence requires careful timing: quick onset of /sp/ after /ɪk/, brief reduced vowel /ə/ in the second syllable, and a prominent /ˈreɪ/ before /ʃən/. Misplacing primary stress or diluting /ˈreɪ/ makes it sound like ‘ex-piration’ or ‘inspiration.’ Practicing with slow integer syllable separation then building speed helps stabilize the four-syllable flow.
Yes, the prefix ex- contributes the initial /ɪk/ sound, but in natural speech it is tightly coupled with the following /sp/ sequence, so you hear /ɪk.sp/. It’s not isolated as a standalone syllable by most speakers; it blends into the /sp/ cluster. The key is maintaining the syllable boundary without adding extra vowel length. In careful speech, you’ll hear ɪk - spə - ˈreɪ - ʃən, with a lighter second syllable and a clear, stressed /ˈreɪ/.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "Expiration"!
- Shadowing: listen to a short passage containing expiration, then shadow with 1–2 s delay. Emphasize the /ˈreɪ/ nucleus. - Minimal pairs: expiration vs inspiration, expiration vs exhalation (contrast focus on ending /ʃən/ vs /lˈeɪʃən/). - Rhythm practice: practice 4 syllables with 2 quick consonant clusters; tap each syllable to a metronome around 60–90 BPM, then speed up to 120 BPM, keeping the /ˈreɪ/ prominent. - Stress practice: isolate the third syllable, produce a longer vowel there, then integrate with surrounding syllables. - Recording: record yourself saying expiration in various contexts (medical note, warranty date, casual usage); compare with a reference from Pronounce or YouGlish and adjust timing. - Context sentences: add expiration date, expiration of a contract, expiration of rights, with deliberate stress on third syllable.
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