4 syllables: for, get, ful, ness. Stress on get.
fur-GET-fuhl-nuhs
/fɚˈɡɛtfəlnəs/
forgetfulness is pronounced fur-GET-fuhl-nuhs (/fɚˈɡɛtfəlnəs/). It has four syllables (for-get-ful-ness), with the stress on "get". Forgetfulness refers to a tendency to fail to recall information, events, or details. It denotes intermittent memory lapses rather than a complete memory loss, often influenced by attention, stress, or cognitive load. The term applies across everyday situations and clinical contexts, signaling a temporary lapse rather than a cognitive disorder. It’s commonly triggered by distraction, fatigue, or information overload.
Forgetfulness refers to a tendency to fail to recall information, events, or details. It denotes intermittent memory lapses rather than a complete memory loss, often influenced by attention, stress, or cognitive load. The term applies across everyday situations and clinical contexts, signaling a temporary lapse rather than a cognitive disorder. It’s commonly triggered by distraction, fatigue, or information overload.
"Her forgetfulness during meetings led her to miss important action items."
"The elderly sometimes experience forgetfulness, which can be a normal part of aging."
"A busy schedule can cause forgetfulness about appointments and deadlines."
Pronounce as /fɚˈɡɛt.fəl.nəs/ in US English, with primary stress on the second syllable ‘GET’ and a light, schwa-based first syllable. In British English, it’s /fəˈɡet.fəl.nəs/ with a reduced initial vowel and the same strong secondary stress before the final -ness. The sequence is two clear consonant clusters: /fɚ/ + /ˈɡɛt/ + /fəl/ + /nəs/. Mouth position: start with a labiodental fricative /f/, then a mid-back lax vowel for /ɚ/, finish with a clear 'forget' /fɪˈɡet/ range and a light, unstressed /fəl/ before /nəs/. Audio reference: consult Cambridge or Forvo for native recordings.
Common errors include slurring the unstressed syllables, treating the middle /ɡet/ as /ɡet/ with equal emphasis, and mispronouncing the final /nəs/ as /nəs/ with a dull 's' sound. Correct by: (1) maintaining the mid-vowel in the first syllable as a reduced /ɚ/ or /ə/; (2) giving primary stress to the second syllable /ˈGET/; (3) pronouncing /fəl.nəs/ with a light, syllabic /n/ and a crisp /s/ at the end. Monitoring the transitions helps avoid inserting extra vowels between /t/ and /f/.
In US English, the initial vowel in the first syllable is a rhotic schwa /ɚ/ and the second syllable carries strong /ˈɛt/. In UK English, the initial vowel tends to be a clipped /ə/ or /ɪ/ depending on speaker, with non-rhoticity often visible, and the final /nəs/ is clear. In Australian English, vowels can be slightly broader with less rhotic influence than US, and the /ɡ/ is clearly enunciated. Overall, the rhythm is similar, but vowel quality and rhoticity vary: US rhotic, UK non-rhotic, AU intermediate.
The difficulty comes from the multi-syllabic structure with three distinct clusters: the initial unstressed /fɚ/ or /fə/, the stressed /ˈGET/, and the final /fəl.nəs/ that blends lightly with /f/ and /n/ sequences. The consonant cluster /fɚˈɡet/ requires precise timing to avoid a vowel intrusion, and the suffix /-ness/ becomes /-nəs/ in connected speech. Mastering the placement of the primary stress and keeping the final /nəs/ crisp are key challenges.
A useful tip is to anchor the word with a short, micro-phrase: forget-GET-fulness, almost like a drumbeat: forget-GET-fulNƏS. This helps you maintain the exact stress on GET and keep the final schwa-nas sequence tight. Visualize the mouth preparing for /ɡ/ immediately after /ɚ/ and keep the /n/ before /s/ light. Practicing with a mirror or recording will reveal if your final /nəs/ becomes a separate syllable or runs together.
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Forgetfulness traces to Middle English for- (from) + go (from Old English gefowan? actually forget) but proper etymology: forget comes from Old English fergitan, from ge- (intensive prefix) + forgitian meaning to lose from one’s memory; -fulness is a suffix forming abstract nouns indicating the quality or state of. The modern sense of forgetfulness developed in Early Modern English as a noun indicating the state or condition of forgetting. The word forget itself is formed from the Proto-Germanic *fergitaną meaning ‘to misremember, to forget,’ with cognates in Dutch verget, German vergessen. The suffix -fulness arose in Middle English to produce abstract nouns from adjectives/verbs, signifying the quality or state. First attested in print in the 14th century as forgetful + -ness/-ful variants, with forgetfulness stabilizing in the 16th-17th centuries to denote habitual or generalized forgetfulness rather than a single lapse. Over time, forgetfulness has retained a neutral, clinical tone in many contexts, while also used colloquially to describe everyday memory lapses.
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Words that rhyme with "forgetfulness"
-ess sounds
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