3 syllables: In, fla, tion. Stress on fla.
in-FLAY-shuhn
/ˌɪnˈfleɪʃən/
Inflation is pronounced in-FLAY-shuhn (/ˌɪnˈfleɪʃən/). It has three syllables (In-fla-tion), with the stress on "fla". Inflation is the process of increasing prices across goods and services, or the economic condition resulting from that rise. It can also refer to the act of expanding something, such as a balloon or a budget. In economics, inflation typically implies a continuing rise in the overall price level and a decrease in purchasing power over time.
nounInflation is the process of increasing prices across goods and services, or the economic condition resulting from that rise. It can also refer to the act of expanding something, such as a balloon or a budget. In economics, inflation typically implies a continuing rise in the overall price level and a decrease in purchasing power over time.
- Mis-stressing the word by placing primary stress on the first syllable (IN-fla-tion) instead of the second (in-FLAY-tion). Work to feel the lift in the /fleɪ/ part as you speak. - Over-enunciating the final syllable, turning /ən/ into /ənn/ or /ɪən/. Aim for a quick, relaxed /ən/. - Blurring the /fl/ cluster; beginners sometimes pronounce /f/ and /l/ independently. Target a clean /fl/ blend with minimal tongue movement between the consonants. - Not keeping the diphthong /eɪ/ accurate; many learners flatten it to /e/ or lengthen it into /eɪn/. Practice the rounded, open-mid glide from /f/ to /eɪ/ smoothly. - Reducing vowel in the first syllable, making it /ɪ/ too short; keep the unstressed /ɪ/ brief but present. Correction tips: practice the sequence in slow motion, then accelerate; use minimal pairs like inflation vs inflatable to hear the difference; record and compare with a native reference.
How to Pronounce Inflation
"The central bank aims to keep inflation around 2% to maintain price stability."
"Inflation erodes the value of money, so savers worry about long-term purchasing power."
"During the festival, the cost of food can contribute to seasonal inflation in the market."
Inflation is pronounced with stress on the second syllable: in-FLAY-shun. IPA: US ɪnˈfleɪ.ʃən; UK ɪnˈfleɪ.ʃən; AU ɪnˈfleɪ.ʃən. Start with /ɪ/ as in hit, then the stressed /ˈfleɪ/ as in lay, followed by /ʃən/ as in shun. Keep the /fl/ blend tight and avoid an extra syllable. Practicing the sequence: in- (unstressed), FLAY (stressed), -tion (shən). Audio reference: [pronunciation tools and video tutorials can reinforce the IPA landmarks].
Common mistakes include de-emphasizing the second syllable or misplacing the stress (e.g., in-FLAY-tion vs IN-fla-tion). Another error is pronouncing the /fl/ as a simple /f/ + /l/ separation or mispronouncing the final /ʃən/ as /ʃən/ with a hard e. Correct by practicing the central /fleɪ/ cluster, ensuring primary stress on the second syllable, and closing the final /n/ with the tongue tip behind the upper teeth, producing a clean /ən/ rather than a dark /ɔːn/ or /ən/ with extra vowel. Listening to native models helps consolidate the rhythm.
Across US, UK, and AU, the main difference is vowel length and rhoticity. In all accents the /ɪn/ is short and unstressed; the /ˈfleɪ/ portion is highly stressed with a long diphthong /eɪ/. The US and UK share rhotic /r/ absence in non-rhotic positions; however, inflation is not rhotic in any context, so the /r/ is generally silent. Australians often exhibit slightly broader vowel quality, with /æ/ tendencies in adjacent vowels and a slightly stronger /ɪ/ in the initial syllable. Overall, the core /ˈfleɪ/ sequence remains stable across accents.
The challenge lies in the strong second-syllable stress and the /fleɪ/ diphthong cluster. The /ɪn/ at the start is quick and unstressed, so the ear looks for the bold /ˈfleɪ/ chunk. The sequence /fleɪ.ʃən/ requires precise tongue position: a rapid transition from the focal /f/ to the rounded /l/ and to the high-front glide in /eɪ/ before the /ʃ/. The final /ən/ must be a light, unstressed schwa-plus-n, avoiding a lingering /n/ or an audible extra vowel. Practice with minimal pairs to lock the rhythm.
A unique concern for Inflation is avoiding conflating the root with related words like 'inflatable' or 'inflator'. Maintain the two-syllable rhythm and avoid turning the /ɪ/ into a long vowel or inserting an extra syllable. The key is keeping the /ɪn/ light and the /ˈfleɪ/ strong, then a soft /ʃən/. Use steady air flow and light contact for the /ʃ/ to prevent a tensed pronunciation. IPA reference: ɪnˈfleɪ.ʃən.
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- US: rhotic but while inflation isn’t rhotic, ensure non-rhotic feel in context; keep /ɪn/ short, /ˈfleɪ/ bright, and /ʃən/ lax. - UK: slightly tighter /ɪn/, but still prominent /ˈfleɪ/; avoid adding an extra syllable; /ʃən/ remains light. - AU: wider vowel quality; /ɪn/ may be marginally tenser; keep /ˈfleɪ/ as the loud nucleus and /ʃən/ soft. IPA anchors: US /ɪnˈfleɪ.ʃən/, UK /ɪnˈfleɪ.ʃən/, AU /ɪnˈfleɪ.ʃən/. Practical tips: practice with a mirror for lip rounding on /eɪ/, keep jaw relatively closed and forward for the diphthong, and avoid tensing the /n/.
Inflation comes from the Latin verb inflare, meaning to blow into. The noun form emerged in the 15th century in contexts like inflating sails or balloons. In medieval and early modern usage, inflation described physical expansion, then metaphorically extended to other inflations. In economic discourse, inflation gained prominence in the 19th and 20th centuries as economists described rising price levels and monetary phenomena. The term consolidates two parts: in- (into) and flatus (blown or inflated). By the 20th century, inflation became a standard term in macroeconomics, distinguishing from deflation (falling prices) and disinflation (slowing inflation). First known uses appear in financial and political treatises before becoming a central economic concept in policy debates. Over time, its semantic field broadened to include anything that expands in volume—such as budget deficits inflating the money supply—becoming a widely understood term beyond academia.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Inflation" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Inflation"
-ion sounds
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