3 syllables: ex, pir, ing. Stress on pir.
ik-SPEYE-ring
/ɪkˈspaɪɹɪŋ/
expiring is pronounced ik-SPEYE-ring (/ɪkˈspaɪɹɪŋ/). It has three syllables (ex-pir-ing), with the stress on "pir". Expiring means near the end of a period of validity or life, typically referring to documents, contracts, or organic life. The word emphasizes cessation or termination as its core sense, often signaling something that will cease to be effective or exist soon. It is commonly used in formal or administrative contexts, but can appear in everyday discussion when noting deadlines or expiration.
Expiring means near the end of a period of validity or life, typically referring to documents, contracts, or organic life. The word emphasizes cessation or termination as its core sense, often signaling something that will cease to be effective or exist soon. It is commonly used in formal or administrative contexts, but can appear in everyday discussion when noting deadlines or expiration.
- You may compress the middle /ɪə/ into a simple /ɪ/ or /eɪ/ sound, which weakens the expirer cluster. Practice with slow articulation and then speed up. • - You might misplace the primary stress on the first syllable or spread it too evenly; correct by placing strong stress on the second syllable: /ɪkˈspaɪərɪŋ/. • - The final -ing can steal from the preceding vowel; ensure a crisp /ɪŋ/ without vowel reduction or a trailing schwa. - Recording yourself helps; compare to native references and adjust to maintain a crisp middle /ɪər/ sequence.
"The license is expiring next month, so you must renew it."
"Supplies are expiring, so we’ll discard any spoiled items."
"Her contract is expiring at the end of the year, and negotiations begin soon."
Pronounce as /ɪkˈspaɪərɪŋ/ in US and UK. Break it into ex- + pir + ing, with main stress on PIR: ex-PIER-ing. The middle syllable sounds like 'pier' (/ˈspaɪər/), and the final -ing keeps a light /ɪŋ/ nasal. Mouth shape: start with a short 'i' in 'ex' then a rounded 'aiər' in the middle, finishing with the nasal /ŋ/. Audio references: you can compare with 'expire' /ɪkˈspaɪər/ and ensure the 'r' is not overly rolled in UK non-rhotic accents.
Common errors: 1) Treating 'expiring' as two syllables with 'ex-PI-ring' and misplacing the stress on the first or third syllable. Correct by stressing the second syllable: /ɪkˈspaɪərɪŋ/. 2) Dropping or weakening the middle /ɪər/ chunk to 'spur-ing' or 'spire-ing' without the proper /spaɪə/ quality. Practice distinguishing /ˈspaɪə/ from /spaɪər/. 3) Pronouncing the final 'ing' as /ɪŋ/ with an unreleased vowel; keep a light, clear /ɪŋ/ with a short but audible vowel preceding it.
In US, /ɪkˈspaɪərɪŋ/ with rhotic /r/ in the /ˈspaɪər/ nucleus; UK tends toward non-rhotic links, so /ɪkˈspɑːj (or ɪkˈspaɪə(r)ɪŋ)/ with a smoother, less pronounced /r/; AU often echoes US rhotics but with clipped vowels and less pronounced /r/ in the final syllable. Core difference is the treatment of the /r/ and the vowel quality in /aɪə/; US often has a clearer /ɹ/, UK reduces it, and AU lies between with a centralized vowel before -ing.
The difficulty lies in the diphthong in the middle: /aɪə/ navigates quickly between 'ai' and a schwa with an r-like quality in some accents. The sequence 'pir' in 'spire' requires a rounded, fronted vowel movement before the /ɹ/ or its absence, depending on accent. Additionally, the final -ing keeps a controlled nasal without mushing into a following word. Mastering the precise timing of syllables prevents the 'ex-' from bleeding into the middle.
A unique nuance is the potential presence or absence of the /r/ in non-rhotic accents affecting the /ˌspaɪə(r)/ cluster. In rhotic accents, you’ll articulate a clearer /ɹ/ after /ˈspaɪə/. In non-rhotic accents, the /ɹ/ is silent, which can make the middle sound very similar to /ˈspaɪə/ followed by a soft /ɪŋ/. This subtle difference can alter perceived tempo and clarity when spoken quickly.
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- US:Rhotic /ɹ/ in /ˈspaɪərɪŋ/; keep the /ɹ/ and the /ɪər/ distinct, then nasal /ŋ/. - UK: Non-rhotic; the /ɹ/ is silent; ensure the /ˈspaɪə/ segment remains rounded and concise. - AU: Slightly rhotic with a flatter diphthong; maintain /ɪə/ quality and a clear /ŋ/ at the end. - Vowel notes: the /aɪ/ in /spaɪ/ is a tight diphthong; the /ə/ may reduce in fast speech, but keep the /ɪər/ sequence intact.
Expiring comes from the verb expire, which itself derives from the Latin exspirare, meaning 'to breathe out' (ex- 'out' + spirare 'to breathe'). The sense of drawing a breath and thus ending or dying evolved in Latin, with exspirare yielding end-of-life or cessation concepts in Late Latin and Old French. In English, expire appeared in the 13th–14th centuries with general senses of ending or going out, and by the 16th–17th centuries it extended to expire a license, contract, or period. The participial adjective expiring surfaced as the present participle, used to describe something that is approaching its end. Modern usage consolidates the term around deadlines, validity periods, and biological or administrative termination. First known usages occur in legal and medical writings where the emphasis is on the moment a condition or entitlement ends, often with formal precision. Over time, expiring has remained the neutral, administrative connotation while retaining flexibility for both documents and life phenomena.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "expiring" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "expiring" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "expiring"
-ing sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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