3 syllables: guar, an, teed. Stress on teed.
ger-uhn-TEED
/ˌɡɛɹəˈntid/
guaranteed is pronounced ger-uhn-TEED (/ˌɡɛɹəˈntid/). It has three syllables (guar-an-teed), with the stress on "teed". Guaranteed is an adjective meaning that something is promised or certain to happen, often used to convey a formal assurance. It implies a firm commitment or warranty, with legal or contractual weight. In usage, it characterizes outcomes or products that are pledged to meet expectations, reducing uncertainty for the recipient.
Guaranteed is an adjective meaning that something is promised or certain to happen, often used to convey a formal assurance. It implies a firm commitment or warranty, with legal or contractual weight. In usage, it characterizes outcomes or products that are pledged to meet expectations, reducing uncertainty for the recipient.
"The product is guaranteed for two years against manufacturing defects."
"She guaranteed the delivery date, and the team met it on schedule."
"The contract includes a guaranteed minimum payment to the vendor."
Pronounce it as /ˌɡær.ənˈtiːd/ in standard varieties. Break it into four syllables: gar-ən-TEED, with primary stress on the third syllable. Start with the /ɡ/ stop, follow with /æ/ as in cat, then a schwa /ə/ in the second syllable, then /ˈtiːd/ with a long 'ee' vowel and final /d/. Imagine saying ‘GAIR-ən-TEED’ with a clear pause before the stress. For audio reference, listen to dictionary recordings on Cambridge/Oxford or Forvo.
Two frequent errors are misplacing the stress and shortening the middle syllable. People often say gar-an-TEED with secondary emphasis on the second syllable; instead, place primary stress on the third: gar-ən-TEED. Another mistake is pronouncing the long /iː/ as a short /ɪ/ or /i/; keep the /iː/ quality long and clear. Practice by exaggerating the middle schwa /ə/ sound and delaying the final /d/ slightly to ensure the long /iː/ isn’t clipped.
In US, UK, and AU, the vowel in the final '-eed' remains a long /iː/ with /d/—the key variation is rhoticity and vowel quality before the /ɪ/ vs /ə/. US often has a slightly rhotic, clearer /ɹ/ preceding vowels in connected speech, UK tends to a tighter /ɪ/ in some speakers, and AU may show a more relaxed /ɪə/ quality before /ː/ depending on speaker. The primary stress remains on the 3rd syllable in all three, but vowel coloration in the first two syllables can differ subtly due to accent timing and vowel merging.
It’s challenging due to the three-syllable structure with a stressed final syllable and the central /ə/ followed by a long /iː/ in sequence: gar-ən-TEED. The fast transition between a reduced vowel (schwa) and a tense, high front vowel can trip speakers. Additionally, the /ɡ/ onset and the final /d/ must be clearly articulated in careful speech to avoid slurring. Practicing by isolating each segment and then blending helps you maintain clarity in rapid speech.
The unique aspect is maintaining the long /iː/ sound in the final stressed syllable after a mid/low vowel pair in the earlier syllables, which can cause a diphthongization error if rushed. Focus on a steady /tiːd/, with a crisp /t/ and a slower /iː/ that holds before the final /d/. Keeping the /ˈtiːd/ syllable tight and distinct ensures the word lands with the necessary assurance in both formal and conversational contexts.
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Guaranteed comes from the verb guarantee, which traces to Old French garant, meaning ‘warranty, protection or pledge,’ from garent (archaic form of guarantor) and ultimately from the Frankish garand or Germanic roots that conveyed protection. The term entered English via legal and commercial usage in the late Middle Ages, aligning with a sense of formal obligation or security. Over centuries, guarantee broadened from a legal warranty to general assurances in everyday language. The modern form guaranteed (past participle/adjective) emerged as English legal and consumer speech required a concise, adjective form to modify nouns (e.g., guaranteed income, guaranteed delivery). The morphological path includes the common English suffix -ed, signaling completed action or resultant state, here indicating that the guarantee has already been provided or attached to the object or proposition. First known uses appear in contract law and merchant codes, where guarantees functioned as binding statements of protection for buyers and lenders alike. Today, guaranteed is pervasive in commerce, insurance, and service industries, encoding reliability, assurance, and risk mitigation in both formal documents and colloquial praise.
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Words that rhyme with "guaranteed"
-ade sounds
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