3 syllables: Ex, po, sure. Stress on po.
ik-SPOH-zhur
/ɪkˈspoʊʒɚ/
Exposure is pronounced ik-SPOH-zhur (/ɪkˈspoʊʒɚ/). It has three syllables (Ex-po-sure), with the stress on "po". Exposure is the act of being subjected to something (such as risk, experience, or light) or the condition of something being exposed to the elements. In everyday use, it also refers to the disclosure of information or the possibility of encountering a situation that allows observation or measurement. The noun often implies a temporary or potential state rather than a guaranteed event.
nounExposure is the act of being subjected to something (such as risk, experience, or light) or the condition of something being exposed to the elements. In everyday use, it also refers to the disclosure of information or the possibility of encountering a situation that allows observation or measurement. The noun often implies a temporary or potential state rather than a guaranteed event.
"Her exposure to different cultures broadened her worldview."
"The camera's exposure setting determined how bright the image would be."
"Prolonged sun exposure increases the risk of skin damage."
Pronounce as /ɪkˈspoʊʒər/ in US and /ɪkˈspəʊzə/ in UK. The word has three syllables with primary stress on the second: ex-PO-sure. Start with a short “i” sound in the first syllable, then a long “o” in the second, expressed as /ˈspoʊ/. The final syllable is an unstressed “-zur” or “-zə,” depending on accent. For practice, think: ik-SPOH-zher (US) or ik-SPOH-zuh (UK). Listen to native samples to feel the /ʒ/ sound before the final /ər/ (US) or /ə/ (UK). Audio references: try online dictionaries with audio and Pronounce for review.
Common mistakes include misplacing stress by saying ex-POS-ure or EX-po-sure, mispronouncing the middle vowel as /ɒ/ or /æ/, and confusing the /ʒ/ with /ʃ/ or /z/. To correct: place primary stress on the second syllable: ex-PO-sure; keep the /oʊ/ or /əʊ/ in the middle, not a short /ɒ/; practice the /ʒ/ sound before the final /ər/ (US) or /ə/ (UK). Gentle, controlled /r/ in the final syllable helps. The aim is a smooth, three-syllable flow with a clear /ʒ/ before the final consonant cluster.
In US English, the middle vowel tends to be a clear /oʊ/ with an audible rhotic /r/ in the final syllable, leading to /ɪkˈspoʊʒər/. In UK English, the final is often /ə/ or /ə/ with a non-rhotic accent; you may hear /ɪkˈspəʊzə/. Australian English is similar to UK but with a slightly broader /ɒ/ or /ə/ quality; many speakers produce /ɪkˈspəʊʒə/ or /ɪkˈspəʊzə/ with a less rhotic American r and more centralized final vowel.
The difficulty lies in the mixed vowel sequence and the /ʒ/ sound, which is less common in many languages. The stress pattern is fixed on the second syllable, and the middle vowel must transition cleanly into a voiced postalveolar fricative /ʒ/ before the ending /ər/ (US) or /ə/ (UK). The final syllable is unstressed and short; keeping it light without swallowing the consonant can be tricky for non-native speakers.
No separate “ex-” pronunciation change occurs; you still start with a short /ɪ/ or /ɪk/ and then the stressed syllable lingers on /spoʊ/ or /spəʊ/. The key is not to reduce the first syllable too much and to blend the /k/ or /ɡ/ onset into the /spoʊ/ portion smoothly. Ensure the /ɪ/ at the start does not reduce to a schwa in careful speech; keep it short but distinct.
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Exposure comes from the Latin ex- meaning out of, and the verb pōsuere (to place, to put) via Old French exposer meaning to lay bare or explain. The term appeared in Middle English through Old French exposer with senses tied to laying something open to view or risk. Over time, exposure broadened beyond sight to include exposure to weather, to radiation in scientific contexts, and to experiential exposure—being subjected to particular circumstances for observation or effect. The modern sense of presenting oneself to a potential risk or experience aligns with 19th- and 20th-century usage in photography (exposure to light) and broadcasting (exposing audiences to information). The first recorded uses in English trace to the 15th century in religious and moral treatises, but the photographic meaning emerged in the late 19th century as the process of “exposing” film to light became central to photography. The term now spans multiple disciplines, retaining the core idea of presenting or laying something bare to an influence or input that can alter condition or perception.
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Words that rhyme with "Exposure"
-ure sounds
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