2 syllables: ex, plains. Stress on plains.
/ɪkˈspleɪnz/
Say it backExplains is the third-person singular present tense of explain. It means to make something clear or understandable by describing it, giving reasons, or showing how something works. In sentence use, it conveys that someone provides an explanation or rationale for a topic or event. Focus is on clarity, detail, and the logic behind a claim or process.
- You may drop or reduce the final /z/ in casual speech, saying /ɪkˈspleɪnz/ as /ɪkˈspleɪn/ or /ɪkˈsplains/. Remedial tip: exaggerate the final /z/ momentarily in practice then relax it into natural voice.
"She explains the rules of the game clearly to the new players."
"The scientist explains the phenomenon using simple diagrams."
"During the tour, the guide explains how the ancient machines operated."
Pronounce as /ɪkˈspleɪnz/. The first syllable is a reduced /ɪk/, then the stressed second syllable /ˈspleɪnz/ with a long /eɪ/ vowel in the diphthong and a final /nz/ cluster. Your mouth should start with a small lip spread for the /ɪ/ then open to an /ɪ/‑to‑ /eɪ/ glide in the stressed syllable. Try saying “ick-splaynz” with clear /z/ voice on the final /z/ after /n/. Audio reference: [Refer to standard dictionaries’ audio recordings].
Common errors include swallowing the second syllable’s stress (ex-PLAINS instead of ex-PLAINZ), mispronouncing the /s/ as a /z/ in isolation, and running the final /nz/ together too loosely. Correct by clearly articulating the /s/ as a voiceless /s/ followed by /pl-eɪnz/ with the voiceless onset turned into a voiced final cluster. Practice saying /ɪkˈspleɪnz/ slowly, then progressively speed up while keeping the /z/ voicing audible.
In US, UK, and AU, the core /ɪkˈspleɪnz/ shape is stable, but rhoticity can affect surrounding sounds in connected speech. US speakers may have subtle linking with a stronger /ɪ/ onset and a slightly tighter /r/ influence before vowels, though not in this word. UK and AU maintain non-rhotic patterns; the /r/ does not surface. Focus on the /eɪ/ diphthong; vowel quality can be marginally higher in UK/AU, with AU often having a more open /æ/ in some neighboring words. The final /nz/ remains voiced across dialects.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster at the end: /nz/ after a voiced consonant and the need to keep the /s/ and /z/ distinction clear in rapid speech. Additionally, the stressed diphthong /eɪ/ requires precise tongue position, going from /e/ to /ɪ/ glide. Finally, the initial /ɪk/ sequence can be reduced in faster speech. Practicing slow, precise syllable division and then blending helps manage voicing in the final cluster.
A unique focus is the /pl/ onset of the stressed syllable and the following /eɪ/ diphthong: the sequence /ˈspleɪnz/ involves a consonant cluster that can cause timing issues in rhythm and a potential mispronunciation of the /pl/ as separate segments. Emphasize the cohesive blend of /s/ + /pl/ into a single onset cluster and keep the /z/ voicing distinct.
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- US: keep rhoticity minimal if not at start; emphasize the /eɪ/ diphthong with a clear mid-to-high vowel transition. UK: maintain non-rhotic pattern; ensure the /l/ is light and not vowel-deleting; AU: often vowel shifts are subtle, keep the /ɪ/ before /s/ crisp. IPA references: /ɪkˈspleɪnz/ for all three.
Explain derives from the Latin explōcāre, formed from ex- (out) + plōcāre (to fold, to bend) in the sense of unfolding or unfolding a meaning. The Latin root plōcāre is related to plācus, ‘flat, clear,’ and is connected to ‘plain’ through the idea of making something plain or evident. In English, explāin appeared in Middle English as expleinen and later evolved into explain in the 15th century, retaining its core meaning of making something clear. Over time, the sense broadened to include providing reasons, justifications, and systematic descriptions. The verb extended its usage from purely literal explanations to metaphorical and technical contexts, such as explains a theory, explains a mechanism, or explains a policy. The noun forms are implication and explanation, sharing the same semantic field of making something intelligible. The word’s pronunciation settled toward /ɪkˈspleɪnz/ in many dialects, with stress on the second syllable, reflecting the normal English pattern of “ex-” prefixes followed by a clear base verb (play) component. The first known written attestations appear in Early Modern English texts, with increasing usage as scientific and academic prose demanded precise elucidation of ideas and arguments.
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Words that rhyme with "explains"
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-me) sounds
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