2 syllables: in, duced. Stress on duced.
in-DOOST
/ˌɪˈndust/
induced is pronounced in-DOOST (/ˌɪˈndust/). It has two syllables (in-duced), with the stress on "duced". Induced means brought about or caused by something, typically as a result of deliberate action, suggestion, or external influence. It often describes a process that is not natural but produced through stimulation, pressure, or instruction. In medicine or science, it can refer to initiating a procedure or state, such as inducing labor or inducing an effect in an experiment.
Induced means brought about or caused by something, typically as a result of deliberate action, suggestion, or external influence. It often describes a process that is not natural but produced through stimulation, pressure, or instruction. In medicine or science, it can refer to initiating a procedure or state, such as inducing labor or inducing an effect in an experiment.
"The new policy induced rapid changes in the organization."
"The doctor warned that the medication could induce drowsiness."
"The manager’s suggestion induced the team to rethink their strategy."
Pronunciation: /ɪnˈdjuːst/ (US/UK) or /ɪnˈdusd/ depending on accent. The primary stress is on the second syllable: in-DUSt. Start with a light, short 'i' as in it, then a 'n' to form in-. The diphthong in the stressed syllable is the /djuː/ (US/UK) or /dus/ sequence, where the 'u' glides to a long 'oo' sound in /djuː/. Finish with a light 'st' cluster. Mouth: tip of the tongue behind the upper teeth for /n/, then alveolar stop /d/, then the /juː/ glide in many speakers or /uː/ in others, and end with /st/. See audio reference for precise cueing.
Common errors include saying it as in-DUS-ed with the wrong vowel quality in the second syllable or flattening /djuː/ into /duː/ or /duːs/. Some speakers reduce the /d/ into a flapped sound or merge /juː/ into an /u/ vowel, producing in- DUST or in- duzd. To correct: practice the /djuː/ cluster by starting with /d/ then a clear /j/ glide into /uː/ (or /u/ in some accents). Ensure the /st/ remains crisp without nasalization. Use minimal pairs and record yourself to catch mis-timed vowel length and consonant blending.
In US English, /ɪnˈdusd/ with a shorter /u/ and a pronounced /d/; some speakers may have /ɪnˈduːst/ with a longer /uː/ depending on regional influence. UK English tends toward /ɪnˈdjuːst/ with an explicit /juː/ after /d/, showing a clear palatal glide. Australian English typically aligns with /ɪnˈdjuːst/ but the vowel in /uː/ may be slightly centralized and the /r/ is not pronounced (non-rhotic). Across all, stress remains on the second syllable, but vowel quality varies slightly. IPA guidance: US /ɪnˈdusd/; UK /ɪnˈdjuːst/; AU /ɪnˈdjuːst/.
The difficulty stems from the /djuː/ versus /dus/ glide and the abrupt /d/ consonant following the /n/. The blend of consonant clusters in fast speech can blur the /d/ and /j/ into a /dʒ/ sound for some speakers, or the /juː/ may reduce to /uː/ causing a mis-timed vowel length. Additionally, the final /st/ cluster can trigger vowel shortening or devoicing in rapid speech. Focusing on keeping the /d/ and /j/ distinct and ensuring the /s/ and /t/ stay crisp helps, as does practicing the /djuː/ sequence in isolation.
In careful speech, you’ll stress the /DU/ portion in induced as in-DU-st, with a clearly enunciated /d/ followed by the /juː/ glide in US/UK accents. A unique query you might encounter is whether to pronounce the /d/ as a light or heavy alveolar stop given coarticulation with /n/; in most careful speech, you keep /n/ before /d/ and keep /d/ fully released before the /juː/ glide to avoid a mispronounced /nd/ sequence. Try to maintain a crisp /t/ or /d/ release before the /s/.
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Induced comes from the Latin indūcere, meaning to lead in or bring in. The prefix in- here is not a direct negation but intensifies the notion of leading toward a result, derived from ducere “to lead.” Indūcere fused with the Latin participial form indūctus, meaning led in. In English, the word appeared in the 15th century with the sense of “led to a consequence.” Over time, its usage broadened from physical bringing in or leading (as in inducing labor or a predicate) to more abstract causes like incentives or stimuli that produce a particular effect. The core semantic thread is the act of causing something to occur by an external force or deliberate action, distinguishing it from happening naturally. The term is common across medicine, science, linguistics, and general usage, often paired with actions, conditions, or states that are not self-generated. First known uses often appear in medical or philosophical texts exploring causation and therapeutic interventions, gradually expanding into everyday language to denote any circumstance where an outcome is produced by an influencing factor or procedure.
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Words that rhyme with "induced"
-ced sounds
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