5 syllables: In, au, gu, ra, tion. Stress on ra.
in-aw-gyur-AY-shuhn
/ɪˌnɔɡjɚˈeɪʃən/
Inauguration is pronounced in-aw-gyur-AY-shuhn (/ɪˌnɔɡjɚˈeɪʃən/). It has five syllables (In-au-gu-ra-tion), with the stress on "ra". Inauguration is a formal ceremony marking the beginning of a new public office term or leadership. It signals an official start, often featuring speeches, oaths, and ceremonial traditions. The term conveys solemnity and legitimacy in political or institutional contexts, emphasizing the transition of authority.
nounInauguration is a formal ceremony marking the beginning of a new public office term or leadership. It signals an official start, often featuring speeches, oaths, and ceremonial traditions. The term conveys solemnity and legitimacy in political or institutional contexts, emphasizing the transition of authority.
- You may undervalue the -ga- syllable, making it too short; ensure the /ɡjə/ sequence links cleanly to the /reɪ/ vowel in the fourth syllable. - If you’re unsure about the /ˌɪˈnɔːɡ/ portion, practice the onset as a light “in-” and the /ɔːɡ/ as a single smooth block before the /jə/. - Finally, avoid compressing the final -tion; keep a crisp /ʃən/ with a light, quick release.
How to Pronounce Inauguration
"The inauguration of the new president drew international attention."
"A grand inauguration ceremony was held at the city hall."
"Plans for the presidential inauguration sparked extensive preparations."
Inauguration is pronounced i-NO-gyuh-RAY-shun, with primary stress on the fourth syllable: /ɪˌnɔːɡjəˈreɪʃən/. Break it into in- (unstressed), au- (stressed), gu- (shwaro), ra- (REI), tion (shən). In careful speech you’ll hear three distinct stress peaks: the second syllable and the fourth. For quick pronunciation, emphasize the /ˈreɪ/ in -ration and avoid tensing the final syllable. IPA guidance: US: /ˌɪˈnɔːɡ.jəˈreɪ.ʃən/; UK: /ˌɪˈnɔː.ɡjəˈreɪ.ʃən/? Note: IPA can vary slightly by transcription system, but the essential rhythm remains four syllables with a strong secondary stress on the third syllable.
Common mistakes include misplacing stress (trying to stress the second syllable), truncating the word to ‘in-aug-uh-tion,’ or running the syllables together too loosely. To correct: keep the /ˌɪˈnɔː.ɡ.jə/ sequence clear, give the /reɪ/ in the fourth syllable its distinct vowel, and finish with a light /ʃən/ rather than a heavy ‘shun.’ Practicing with a slower tempo and syllable-by-syllable articulation will preserve the rhythm. Use minimal pairs like ‘inaugurate’ vs ‘Inauguration’ to feel the added -ration ending.
Across accents, the main differences are vowel quality in the cue syllables and rhoticity. US and Canadian speakers typically have a non-rhotic or variably rhotic tendency in careful speech but pronounce the /ɹ/ clearly in connected speech; the /ɪ/ in the initial syllable is lax. UK speakers often have a crisper /ɡ/ and slightly different vowel duration in the /ɔː/ and /ə/ positions. Australian pronunciation often features broader vowels in /ɒ/ or /ɔː/ for the second vowel and a less pronounced /ɡ/ joining the /j/ sequence. Overall rhythm remains i-nɔː-ɡjə-ˈreɪ-ʃən with minor regional vowel shifts.
The difficulty lies in the long multisyllabic structure and the cluster /nɔːɡ/ transitioning into /jə/. The sequence -aug- often invites a tricky /ɔː/ to /ɡj/ gliding shift, and the stressed /reɪ/ in -ration can blur in rapid speech. Additionally, the final -tion reduces to /ʃən/ in many dialects, which makes the closing sound quick and easy to swallow. Focus on the syllable breaks and keep the /reɪ/ clear to preserve intelligibility.
A common word-specific question is whether the second syllable ‘au’ should be pronounced as /ɔː/ or /ɔ/. In most educated speech, it’s the /ɔː/ sound as in ‘audience,’ giving /ɪˌnɔːɡjəˈreɪʃən/. The ‘au’ here behaves as an /ɔː/ cluster rather than a diphthongal /aʊ/. Awareness of this helps avoid an overly short /æ/ or misplacing the stress. IPA guidance reinforces that the key is maintaining the /ɔː/ quality and the /ə/ to /eɪ/ progression in the mid syllables.
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- US: keep /ɪ/ lax in the first syllable, stress on the -reɪ- segment; connect /ɡjə/ with a gentle glide into /ˈreɪ/. - UK: crisper /ɡ/ and slightly longer /ɔː/ in the second syllable; maintain non-rhoticity in connected speech but ensure vowel clarity in formal contexts. - AU: broader vowels, particularly in /ɔː/ and /eɪ/; reduce final schwa slightly and keep the /ʃən/ crisp. Use IPA references to monitor changes in individual vowels and syllable boundaries.
Inauguration derives from Old French inauguration, from Medieval Latin inauguratio(n-), from Latin inaugurare “to install in office,” later expanded to mean “to initiate or begin.” The root in Latin is inaugurare, formed from in- “in, into” + augurare “to foretell, augur” or “to take omens” (the latter sense relates to divination associated with official beginnings). In Roman times, an inauguratio involved ceremonies marking the binding of a new ruler’s authority, often with auspices or omens. The word entered English in the 16th century in ecclesiastical and political senses, gradually widening to general use for formal beginnings. Its sense of “formal installation” remained central as modern governments adopted inauguration rituals for presidents, governors, and other officials. Over time, the term has broadened to include any formal initiation or groundbreaking opening, including organizational or ceremonial inaugurations, sometimes detached from strictly political office. The pronunciation and spelling stabilized in early modern English, aligning closely with contemporary usage, with stress placed on the fourth syllable in most varieties (in-aug-u-ra-tion). Contemporary usage frequently carries connotations of legitimacy, ceremony, and public duty, and the term is commonly paired with adjectives like grand, formal, or peaceful in modern discourse.
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Words that rhyme with "Inauguration"
-ion sounds
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