2 syllables: Fa, tigue. Stress on tigue.
fuh-TEEG
/fəˈtiɡ/
Fatigue is pronounced fuh-TEEG (/fəˈtiɡ/). It has two syllables (Fa-tigue), with the stress on "tigue". Fatigue is a noun meaning extreme tiredness resulting from mental or physical exertion, illness, or stress. It describes a state of reduced energy and motivation that can affect performance, perception, and mood. In professional contexts, fatigue can influence decision making, safety, and productivity, and may require rest or medical assessment when persistent.
nounFatigue is a noun meaning extreme tiredness resulting from mental or physical exertion, illness, or stress. It describes a state of reduced energy and motivation that can affect performance, perception, and mood. In professional contexts, fatigue can influence decision making, safety, and productivity, and may require rest or medical assessment when persistent.
- You may extend the first syllable vowel, saying /ˈfeɪ.tɪg/ instead of /ˈfæ.tɪɡ/. Keep the /æ/ short and closed. - The /t/ can become a soft flap or a voiceless alveolar stop with a tight release; ensure a clear /t/ release into /ɪ/. - Final /ɡ/ may be devoiced or omitted in casual speech; aim for a fully voiced glottal end /ɡ/. - In rapid speech, you might merge /tɪɡ/ into /tɪg/ or /tɪg/ without the proper stopping; practice slow, then speed up with controlled rhythm. Practice: say “FAT-ig” with emphasis on the first syllable, then say “fatigue” in slow to normal tempo, focusing on crisp /t/ and final /ɡ/.
How to Pronounce Fatigue
"The long hike left me with fatigue in my legs and joints."
"Chronic fatigue can interfere with concentration and daily tasks."
"Work shifts without breaks often lead to fatigue and decreased accuracy."
Fatigue is pronounced /ˈfæt.ɪɡ/ in US/UK/AU. The primary stress falls on the first syllable: FÄ-tig. Start with a short a as in cat, then a quick /t/ followed by a short /ɪ/ and a hard /g/. Mouth position: jaw drops slightly, tongue low-mid for /æ/; tip of tongue behind the teeth for /t/; glottal stop is not typical in careful speech; end with a voiced velar /ɡ/. Audio example can be found on major dictionaries or pronunciation platforms.
Common errors include overextending the vowel in the first syllable (saying /ˈfeɪ.tɪg/ instead of /ˈfæ.tɪɡ/) and mispronouncing the final /ɡ/ as /k/ or as a softer /d/. Some speakers insert an extra syllable between /æt/ and /ɪ/, or drop the /t/ leading to /ˈfæ.ɪg/. To correct: keep the first syllable as /ˈfæ/ with a clipped /t/, then release into /ɪ/ and a clean /ɡ/. Practice with minimal pairs and record yourself to ensure accuracy.
In General American, /ˈfæ.tɪɡ/ with clear /t/ release and /ɡ/ at the end. In many UK varieties, you might hear a slightly softer /t/ or unreleased [t̚] and a palatalized quality on the /ɡ/ in connected speech. Australian English tends to be closer to US but can have a lighter /ɡ/ and faster tempo, with less vowel length distinction in rapid speech. Focus on maintaining the short /æ/ vowel and crisp /t/ in all accents.
The difficulty lies in producing a crisp /t/ immediately followed by a short, lax /ɪ/ and a final /ɡ/ without inserting a vowel. The combination /tɪɡ/ can blur in rapid speech, and speakers often reduce the vowel or merge sounds. Additionally, ending in /ɡ/ requires careful voicing control to avoid a devoiced or aspirated release. Slow practice with deliberate mouth positions helps solidify the sequence /fæ-tɪɡ/ rather than an ambiguous glide.
Fatigue often invites a subtle consonant release issue: many learners insert a faint extra schwa or soften the /t/ before the /ɪ/. The recommended check is to produce /t/ with a strong alveolar closure and a crisp release into /ɪ/, then immediately into /ɡ/. This ensures the sequence remains /tɪɡ/ rather than combining into /tɪɡ/ with an indistinct boundary. Practice by chaining /fæ/ + /tɪɡ/ in progressively faster tempo.
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- General American: /ˈfæ.tɪɡ/ with rhotic-ready vowel sounds; keep /æ/ distinct, avoid diphthongization. - UK English: potential for a slightly palatalized /ɡ/ and sometimes a non-released /t/ in casual speech; maintain crisp /t/ release for intelligibility, though some speakers may opt for a lightly aspirated /t/. - Australian English: closer to US pronuncation but with a lighter /ɡ/ and sometimes a vowel quality slightly raised; ensure the /æ/ remains fronted and short. IPA references: US/UK/AU /ˈfæ.tɪɡ/; keep final /ɡ/ voiced, avoid devoicing.
Fatigue comes from Old French fatigue, later from Late Latin fatigare, meaning to weary or tire out, from Latin fatigare, from fatum meaning to strike with a burden (related to heavy load). The root fat- conveys heaviness or burden. In English, fatigue as physical weariness entered in the 17th century, with senses expanding to mean mental weariness and a broader sense of exhaustion. The term evolved from the military to describe forced or excessive exertion (and later medical/psychological fatigue). First known use in English traces to early modern medical and military texts, where fatigue referred to the depletion of strength after exertion. By the 1800s, fatigue was common in physiology and fatigue tests. In contemporary usage, fatigue covers fatigue syndrome, chronic fatigue, and everyday tiredness, while still retaining the core sense of diminished vitality due to exertion or stress.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Fatigue" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Fatigue" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Fatigue"
-age sounds
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