5 syllables: In, e, bri, a, ted. Stress on e.
in-EB-ree-ay-tuhd
/ˌɪˈnɛbɹiˌeɪtəd/
Inebriated is pronounced in-EB-ree-ay-tuhd (/ˌɪˈnɛbɹiˌeɪtəd/). It has five syllables (In-e-bri-a-ted), with the stress on "e". Inebriated is a somewhat formal noun meaning someone who is intoxicated or under the influence of alcohol. In everyday usage it’s more commonly treated as a past participle adjective (inebriated) or a humorous noun, as in “an inebriated at last night’s party.” It conveys a state of drunkenness rather than a specific experience, and is often used in literary or ironic contexts.
nounInebriated is a somewhat formal noun meaning someone who is intoxicated or under the influence of alcohol. In everyday usage it’s more commonly treated as a past participle adjective (inebriated) or a humorous noun, as in “an inebriated at last night’s party.” It conveys a state of drunkenness rather than a specific experience, and is often used in literary or ironic contexts.
- You’ll hear: misplacing the primary stress on the first or last syllable; fix: stress the second syllable: i-NEE-bree-a-ted. - Vowel confusion: the /iː/ vs /ɪ/ and the /eɪ/ vs /iː/ differences; fix: emphasize the distinct long vowel sounds with deliberate length. - Final ed: often reduced to /ɪd/ or /d/; fix: keep it crisp as /ɪd/, with a gentle release. - Practice tip: practice slow, then speed up while maintaining precise vowel boundaries; record yourself and compare to a native model.
"The judge described the offender as an inebriated man who would not sober up quickly."
"Several witnesses saw an inebriated guest stumble toward the exit."
"The report notes the driver was arrested for impairment after appearing inebriated."
Pronunciation: ɪˈniː.bri.eɪ.tɪd. Primary stress on the second syllable: i-NEE-bree-AY-tid. Start with a short ‘i’ as in kit, then a long ‘ee’ glide, then ‘bree’ with a clear /br/ cluster, followed by a long ‘ay’ diphthong, then a light ‘t’ and final ‘id’ as a quick, crisp ending. See a video model to hear the rhythm; in careful speech, the final -ed is often marked as /ɪd/. Mouth: lips relaxed, jaw slightly dropped, tongue high for the /iː/; avoid flattening the /eɪ/ into a simple /e/.”,
Common mistakes: 1) Slurring the second syllable into a weak /nɪbri/ instead of clear /ˈniː.bri/. 2) Flattening the /eɪ/ into a plain /e/ or /iː/; instead use a distinct /eɪ/. 3) Misplacing stress to the first or third syllable. Correction: place primary stress on the second syllable: i-NEE-bree-ated, maintain crisp /br/ with /iː/ and /eɪ/ as separate vowels. Practice with slow tempo and exaggerated vowel clarity.”,
US: rhotic, /ɪˈniː.bri.eɪ.tɪd/ with a crisp /r/ after /n/ in some speakers; UK: /ɪˈniː.bri.eɪ.tɪd/ with a shorter /r/ and slightly rounded /ɔ/ quality on certain vowels; AU: /ˌɪˈniː.briːˈeɪ.tɪd/ with Australian vowel flattening and less rhoticity. The big differences lie in rhotic presence and the quality of the /ɪ/ vs /ɪə/ or /eɪ/ vowels depending on the region. Comparison: all share the second-stressed /niː/ but vowel color and rhoticity shift. IPA references: US /ɪˈniː.bri.eɪ.tɪd/; UK /ɪˈniː.briː.eɪ.tɪd/; AU /ˌɪˈniː.bri.eɪ.tɪd/.”,
Key challenges: the sequence i-neb-ri-a-ted includes multiple vowels in quick succession and a three-consonant cluster 'n bri' close to a vowel; the /ˈniː/ and /eɪ/ are distinct diphthongs that can blur when spoken quickly; the final -ed as /ɪd/ requires careful timing. Focus on crisp syllable boundaries and avoid swallowing vowels. It helps to practice with slow tempo, clear mouth positions, and listening to a model pronunciation.”,
No letters are silent in a careful pronunciation. Every letter contributes to the syllable count: i-ne-bri-a-ted. The main challenge is producing each vowel clearly and managing the rhythm rather than skipping letters. A model reader will enunciate each vowel sound to keep the word intelligible, especially the /ɪ/ in the first syllable, the /iː/ in the second, and the /eɪ/ in the third.
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- US: rhotic /r/ presence can affect the /r/ timing after /n/; use a light, non-rolling /r/ if your dialect is non-rhotic. - UK: non-rhotic; the /r/ is not pronounced unless before a vowel; keep the /iː/ and /eɪ/ clearly separated; - AU: non-rhotic with vowel shifts: /ɪ/ and /iː/ can sound closer; maintain the /eɪ/ as a separate glide. IPA references: US /ɪˈniː.bri.eɪ.tɪd/; UK /ɪˈniː.bri.eɪ.tɪd/; AU /ˌɪˈniː.bri.eɪ.tɪd/. - General: keep the second syllable strong; avoid turning /bri/ into a rushed cluster; ensure crisp /br/ onset.”,
Inebriated comes from the Latin inebriatus, past participle of inebriari, meaning to intoxicate or render drunk. The Latin itself derives from in- (in, into) + ebrius (drunk), related to ebrius meaning intoxicated and connected to the Greek to drink deeply. The English adaptation entered Middle English via late Latin/Old French transmissions during the 16th–17th centuries, originally used in medical or moralistic contexts to describe intoxication. Over time, its usage broadened: from clinical or legal descriptions of intoxication to literary and colloquial registers where it functions as an adjective or discreet noun meaning a person who is intoxicated. In modern usage, it carries a slightly formal or humorous tone, and is less common in everyday speech except in period pieces, satire, or precise legal-linguistic contexts. The word is closely related to “inebriate” (verb/noun) and “inebriatedly” (adverb) and shares the same root meaning of being made drunk, with the past participle form shaping its current adjectival and nominal applications. First known uses appear in early modern English medical literature and legal prose, aligning with broader shifts in vocabulary around alcohol use and regulation.
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Words that rhyme with "Inebriated"
-ted sounds
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