2 syllables: fen, cing. Stress on fen.
FEN-sing
/ˈfɛnsɪŋ/
fencing is pronounced FEN-sing (/ˈfɛnsɪŋ/). It has two syllables (fen-cing), with the stress on "fen". Fencing refers to the sport or practice of sword fighting with blades, typically using weapons such as the foil, epee, or sabre, and governed by specific rules and scoring. It can also mean the act of installing or surrounding with a fence. The term in sport emphasizes technique, footwork, and precision, while in construction it denotes the boundary enclosure itself. Overall, it connotes controlled, adversarial engagement within defined limits.
Fencing refers to the sport or practice of sword fighting with blades, typically using weapons such as the foil, epee, or sabre, and governed by specific rules and scoring. It can also mean the act of installing or surrounding with a fence. The term in sport emphasizes technique, footwork, and precision, while in construction it denotes the boundary enclosure itself. Overall, it connotes controlled, adversarial engagement within defined limits.
"In training, she focused on precise lunges and tight parries in fencing."
"The new fencing around the garden adds privacy and security to the yard."
"They discussed upgrading the garden fencing to a taller, more durable option."
Pronounce it as /ˈfɛn.sɪŋ/ in US and UK English, with the primary stress on the first syllable: FEN-sing. Start with an open front vowel /e/ like ‘bet’ but tenser; follow with /n/ and a short /ɪ/ in the second syllable, then the velar nasal /ŋ/. Ensure the /f/ is a clean, aspirated fricative and the second syllable is light and quick. Think: FEN-sing, not fen-CING. For audio reference, listen to standard pronunciation guides or dictionary audio entries for fencing.
Common errors include stressing the second syllable (fen-SING) or slurring the /ɪ/ into /ɪŋ/ as in ‘feni-ng’. Some speakers substitute /f/ with /v/ or drop the initial /f/ in rapid speech. To correct: keep the first syllable stressed /ˈfɛn/ with a clear /f/ and short /e/; finish the word with a crisp /sɪŋ/ rather than a heavy /zɪŋ/. Practicing with minimal pairs like fencing vs. fensing helps stabilize the intake and consonants.
In US English, the /ɪ/ in the second syllable is a short, lax vowel; the /ɪ/ is slightly centralized. UK English maintains similar /ˈfen.sɪŋ/ with marginally crisper tensed vowels depending on speaker; Australian English is often close but may have a slightly more centralized vowel in the first syllable and a softer /ɪ/ in casual speech. All three remain rhotic neutral in this word, with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA guides align closely across dialects.
The difficulty centers on the short, lax second syllable /sɪŋ/ after the /fɛn/. The cluster /n/ followed by /s/ can trip some speakers, creating an intrusive or fused sound—practice keeping /n/ quick and clean before /s/. Also, delivering a crisp voiceless /f/ at the start without voicing creep is essential. Practice helps you maintain distinct syllables: FEN - sing, with a clear boundary between /n/ and /s/.
The word has a prominent initial voiceless labiodental fricative /f/ followed by a short stressed syllable, then a light /ɪ/ before the final /ŋ/. The key unique feature is the rapid transition from /n/ to /s/ to create /ns/ sequence in the middle; many speakers slightly fuse /n/ into /s/ in rapid speech. Emphasize the clean /f/ onset and the /sn/ sequence to ensure accurate identity of the word.
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The word fencing comes from Old French fencinge, from fendre ‘to split, break’ (from Latin findere, -fendi, ‘to split’), in the sense of constructing a barrier. The sense in sport developed from the practice of sword fighting within a defined boundary, evolving in medieval Europe as dueling and training with steel blades. English usage widened in the 15th–16th centuries to include the boundary work of erecting fences, then later specialized in sport as modern fencing emerged in the 18th–19th centuries with formal rules and equipment. First known usage in English appears in Middle English texts referencing defensive enclosures, with the fencing sense gradually clarifying to the athletic sport by the 17th–18th centuries, and later the English “fencing” specifically distinguishing the weapon-based activity from enclosing structures.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "fencing" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "fencing" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "fencing"
-ing sounds
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