2 syllables: free, dom. Stress on free.
FREE-duhm
/ˈfɹidəm/
freedom is pronounced FREE-duhm (/ˈfɹidəm/). It has two syllables (free-dom), with the stress on "free". Freedom is the power or right to act, speak, or think without undue restraint. It also refers to the state of being free rather than under control or confinement. In everyday use, it conveys personal autonomy, civil liberties, and the opportunity to pursue one’s own choices and values.
Freedom is the power or right to act, speak, or think without undue restraint. It also refers to the state of being free rather than under control or confinement. In everyday use, it conveys personal autonomy, civil liberties, and the opportunity to pursue one’s own choices and values.
- You might overextend the first syllable, turning /friː/ into a longer, more tense vowel (like /friː.iː/). Keep it to a clean /friː/ with steady timing. - Some speakers insert an extra sound between syllables (fri-e-dum); avoid this by gliding directly from /iː/ to /d/ without an audible break. - The final /m/ is often under- or over-emphasized; aim for a light, closed-lip /m/ that ends softly. - Don’t rush the word; keep the first syllable prominent, then drop into the brief, unstressed second syllable. - Lip rounding should be subtle on /ˌdum/; excessive rounding can alter vowel length.
"After years of protest, the people finally celebrated their freedom."
"The country prides itself on freedom of expression and democracy."
"She yearned for the freedom to travel without visas."
Pronounce as /ˈfriː.dəm/ (US) or /ˈfriː.dəm/ (UK/AU). The primary stress falls on the first syllable: FREE-dum. Start with a long 'ee' vowel, then a relaxed, unstressed second syllable with a soft schwa or reduced vowel; ensure the final /m/ is firmly closed but not over-emphasized. Visualize: 'FREE' + 'duhm' with a light, quick ending. Audio examples: listen to native speech in pronunciation tools or dictionaries for confirmation.
Common errors include turning the first syllable into a short /ɪ/ or /ɛ/ (FRE-dum) and over-emphasizing the second syllable as a full vowel rather than a reduced /-əm/. Also, some speakers insert an extra consonant sound at the boundary (fr-ee-dum) or mispronounce the final /m/ as an nasalized vowel. Correction: hold the first syllable with a clear long /iː/ or /iː/ quality, then relax into a quick, unstressed /-dəm/ with a light schwa and a final crisp /m/.
In US, UK, and AU, the word shares the /ˈfriː.dəm/ pattern, but rhotic vs non-rhotic may affect the perceived vowel quality and rhythm. The US often has a slightly longer, tenser /iː/ in the first syllable; UK and AU may show subtle vowel width differences and a more clipped final /m/. The rhotics influence perceived smoothness: US speakers maintain a more rhotic lining, while UK/AU listeners may hear a shorter, less rhotic ending, though the /ˈfriː.dəm/ skeleton remains consistent.
The main challenge is producing a clean long /iː/ followed by a reduced /-dəm/ cluster without adding extra vowels or syllables, plus keeping the final /m/ quiet and unobtrusive. The transition from a tense front vowel to a lax mid vowel can invite vowel reduction or consonant insertion for some speakers. Focus on maintaining the steady /iː/ at the first peak, then quick, relaxed /-dəm/ with lips gently rounded and jaw relaxed.
The word has a strong initial syllable with primary stress and a subsequent weak syllable that often reduces to a schwa or a light /ə/. The unique feature is the seamless glide from a long front vowel to a reduced, rounded 'dum' ending, requiring controlled mouth opening and a calm, unaccented second syllable. Practicing with minimal pairs and rhythm drills helps maintain the crisp syllable boundary and natural fluency.
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- US: pronounce with a clearer rhotic influence; the /r/ effect appears in surrounding context, but not in the standalone word. The /iː/ should feel bright and long. - UK: the-first vowel may be slightly more monopthongized toward /iː/ and the second syllable remains a short /ə/ or /ʌ/ depending on speaker. - AU: similar to UK with a slightly flatter intonation; the final /m/ is crisp but not overly nasal. Reference IPA: /ˈfriː.dəm/ across varieties. - General note: keep jaw relaxed, tongue high for /iː/, then drop to a relaxed mid-vowel; maintain a short, unrounded or lightly rounded lip position for /ə/ or /ʌ/ and a closed-mouth /m/.
Freedom derives from the Old English frēodōm, formed from frea (freeman, noble, beloved) plus -dom (state, condition). The root frea itself traces to Proto-Germanic *frijaz, meaning beloved or loving, which also yielded friend in other Germanic languages. By Middle English, frēodōm evolved into freedom with the modern sense of condition of being free, liberty from constraint, and immunity from servitude. The semantic shift expanded from political liberty to personal autonomy over centuries as legal systems defined rights, due process, and civil liberties. Early uses appear in medieval charters describing chartered liberties, while 17th-18th century political theorists tied freedom to individual rights and social contracts, culminating in contemporary understandings of freedom as a fundamental human right and a social good. First known written appearances surface in Old English legal and religious texts, but the modern idiomatic sense crystallized during the Enlightenment era as thinkers argued for universal rights and the limitation of tyrannical authority.
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Words that rhyme with "freedom"
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