3 syllables: im, pu, ted. Stress on pu.
im-PYOO-tid
/ˌɪmˈpjutɪd/
imputed is pronounced im-PYOO-tid (/ˌɪmˈpjutɪd/). It has three syllables (im-pu-ted), with the stress on "pu". Imputed means assigned or attributed, usually referring to an attribution of value, cost, or fault not proven directly but inferred from evidence or observation. The term is common in statistics, accounting, and law, and it can describe values added by inference rather than direct measurement. It connotes a reasoned assumption based on available data.
Imputed means assigned or attributed, usually referring to an attribution of value, cost, or fault not proven directly but inferred from evidence or observation. The term is common in statistics, accounting, and law, and it can describe values added by inference rather than direct measurement. It connotes a reasoned assumption based on available data.
How to correct: - Drill the sequence m-p-j-uː-t-i-d at slow speed, then link to normal speaking rate. - Practice minimal pairs to solidify the /j/ and /uː/ vowel placement: /m/ vs /mj/ transitions, then /puː/ up to /uː/. - Record and listen for the palatal glide timing; the /j/ should immediately follow the /p/ without a vowel between them.
"The accountant imputed depreciation based on historical cost and expected useful life."
"Researchers imputed missing data using multiple imputation techniques."
"The judge implied and imputed responsibility based on circumstantial evidence."
Pronounced ih- MYOO-tid with the primary stress on the second syllable: im-PYOO-ted. In IPA US/UK/AU: ɪmˈpjuːtɪd. The sequence -pju- reflects a palatal glide /j/ after /p/ and /m/, so keep the consonants tight: /m/ + /p/ + /j/ + /uː/ + /t/ + /ɪ/ + /d/. Start with a light, rapid onset on the first syllable, then a clear secondary stress move into the long /uː/ sound.
Common errors: misplacing the /j/ sound, producing /pj/ as a single blend rather than /m/ + /p/ + /j/; dropping the /j/ and making it /muːtɪd/ or /mjuːtɪd/; and mispronouncing the /uː/ as a short /u/ (i.e., im-PU-ted). Correction tips: ensure a brief palatal glide after /p/ by lightly raising the middle of your tongue toward the palate to produce /pj/; keep the /uː/ long and tense by rounding the lips slightly and pulling the tongue back toward the soft palate; practice with a slow, stepwise transition through /m/ → /p/ → /j/ → /uː/ to /t/.
US/UK/AU differences are subtle but present: US tends to have a slightly shorter /ɪ/ in the first syllable and a more pronounced /j/ after /p/ due to American palatalization; UK often preserves a slightly tighter /ɪ/ and a more clipped /tɪd/. Australian tends to a more centralized vowel in the /ɪ/ and a broader /uː/ with less rounding. In all, the key is the /ˈpjuː/ cluster; keep it as /pjʊ/ or /pjʊː/ with slight variations in vowel height. Use IPA as a guide and adjust lip rounding by accent.
The difficulty centers on the /m/ to /p/ transition into a /j/ palatal glide and the long /uː/ vowel that follows, which can introduce a slight delay or linking confusion in rapid speech. The /tɪd/ ending in past participles can blur in connected speech, turning into /təd/ or /tɪd/. Focus on articulating a crisp /p/ followed immediately by /j/ before the /uː/ vowel, and ensure the /t/ lands before the final syllables without becoming a t-voicing blend.
No, in careful speech you should maintain the /pj/ sequence, not a collapsed /ju/; the cluster is /p/ + /j/ resulting in /pj/ before the long /uː/. A common misstep is treating /pj/ as /pjʊ/ or merging to /juː/; keep it distinct: /m/ + /p/ + /j/ + /uː/. The result is im-PYOO-ted, with a clear /j/ sound between /p/ and /uː/.
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Imputed comes from the Latin imutare, formed from the prefix in- (in, into) and putare (to prune, settle, think). The verb putare evolves into imputare in Latin, meaning to reckon or attribute; by the 16th century it entered English via Old French imputter and imputer, retaining the sense of attributing value or responsibility to something not directly measured. The core idea is a judged assignment based on inference rather than direct evidence. Early uses framed moral or legal attribution, while later usage in statistics and accounting broadened to depreciation, costs, and data imputation. Over time, the term gained technical precision in fields like econometrics and data science, where values are inferred to fill gaps or to assign responsibility in legal contexts. First known English appearances appear in legal and scholarly texts of the 1600s, with modern statistical usage becoming prominent in the 20th and 21st centuries as data-driven inference grew in importance.
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Words that rhyme with "imputed"
-ted sounds
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