4 syllables: In, spi, ra, tion. Stress on ra.
in-spur-AY-shuhn
/ˌɪnspɚˈeɪʃən/
Inspiration is pronounced in-spur-AY-shuhn (/ˌɪnspɚˈeɪʃən/). It has four syllables (In-spi-ra-tion), with the stress on "ra". Inspiration is the process of being mentally stimulated to feel or do something, often leading to creative ideas or motivation. It also refers to something that arouses such a feeling, or a sudden brilliant idea. As a noun, it encompasses both the spark of creativity and the source of motivation in various contexts.
nounInspiration is the process of being mentally stimulated to feel or do something, often leading to creative ideas or motivation. It also refers to something that arouses such a feeling, or a sudden brilliant idea. As a noun, it encompasses both the spark of creativity and the source of motivation in various contexts.
- Misplacing the stress on the first or second syllable, leading to a robotic, flat feel. Solution: rehearse the word as in-spuh-RAY-shun, with the primary beat on the third syllable and a quick, light onset on /ɪn/. - Under-pronouncing the /r/ or smoothing over the /ər/ sequence in /spəˈreɪ/. Solution: exaggerate the /r/ slightly in careful drills, then blend into natural speech. - Slurring the final /tʃən/ into /tʃn/ or /ən/ without clearly releasing the /t/ and aligning the /ʃ/ with /ən/. Solution: practice slow breaking between /ʃ/ and /ən/ and keep an audible but soft /t/ release.
How to Pronounce Inspiration
"The speaker credited his grandmother as the inspiration for her perseverance."
"Artists often seek nature for inspiration during long walks."
"The invention came after a moment of sudden inspiration."
Inspiration is pronounced /ˌɪn.spəˈreɪ.ʃən/. The primary stress is on the third syllable - re-; you say in-spuh-RAY-shən with a clear long A in the second syllable. Start with a light initial /ɪ/ and quickly reduce the unstressed first syllable to a schwa-like /ə/ sound. End with /tʃən/ as in “tion.” Audio reference: listen for the rising diphthong in /ˈreɪ/ and a soft, quick final /ən/.
Common errors include misplacing the stress (putting emphasis on the first syllable), pronouncing /ˈɪn.spəˈreɪ.ʃən/ with a weak second syllable, or turning the final /tʃən/ into a hard /tʃn/ cluster. To correct: keep the stress on the third syllable /ˌɪn.spəˈreɪ.ʃən/ and ensure the /ˈreɪ/ segment has a clean, silent-tongue release into /ʃən/. Practice by saying ‘in-spuh-RAY-shun’ slowly, then speed up while maintaining the long /eɪ/ and the /ʃ/ before /ən/.
In US, UK, and AU, /ˌɪn.spəˈreɪ.ʃən/ holds similar stress on the third syllable, but vowel quality shifts: US /ɪ/ in the first syllable may be slightly higher; UK and AU often have a more centralized /ə/ in the second syllable. The /reɪ/ diphthong is fairly consistent, but Australian speakers may have a slightly wider starting point for the /ɪ/ and a less rhotic r in flowing speech. Focus on the /ʃən/ ending remaining light across all accents.
The difficulty centers on the multi-syllabic rhythm and the stress shift to the third syllable, plus the /ˈreɪ/ diphthong where your jaw opens wider and lips shape into a rounded vowel before /ʃən/. Also, the sequence /spə/ can create consonant clusters that tax timing; keep unstressed syllables reduced to /spə/ and connect smoothly into the stressed /ˈreɪ/. Practicing with slow breaks helps you maintain correct timing and mouth positions.
A distinctive feature is the strong, final /ʃən/ sound after /reɪ/. You should avoid a hard /ʒən/ or /zən/ and ensure a clean palato-alveolar /ʃ/ followed by faintly unstressed /ən/. Keeping a light, almost whispered final syllable helps mimic natural cadence when saying long phrases like “inspiration for creativity.” Use precise lip positioning: slight rounding for /eɪ/ then flattening into /ʃ/ and soft /ən/.
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- US: Rhotic, mild rhotacism when vowels precede /r/. Expect a clear /r/ after the /n/ cluster in sekundary syllables; lip rounding for /ɪ/ is light. - UK: Non-rhotic tendency; the /r/ is less prominent; maintain a crisp /ə/ in the second syllable and a slightly more centralized vowel in /ɪn/. - AU: Typically broad vowel quality with slightly longer vowels; ensure the /ɪ/ is a shorter, clipped start; maintain the /ʃən/ ending with a soft, quick release. Reference IPA for precise vowels and consonants; slight vowel shifts are normal but avoid elongating the stressed /eɪ/.” ,
Inspiration comes from the Latin inspirare, meaning to breathe into, from in- (in) + spirare (to breathe). The term originally referred to breath or of the gods breathing into a person, shaping Roman and medieval ideas of divine influence. In Old French as inspiration, it entered English in the 16th century, initially in religious and rhetorical contexts to describe divine influence or the inhalation of a guiding spirit. Over time, the sense broadened beyond sacred influence to include any stimulus or motive that sparks creativity or action. In modern usage, inspiration often connotes a powerful, uplifting source that catalyzes imaginative or productive energy, whether personal, artistic, or intellectual. First known uses appear in moral and religious writings of the early Renaissance, with broader secular adoption in the 17th-19th centuries as science and art emphasized individual ingenuity. The word evolved from a literal act of breathing in influence to a metaphorical flood of ideas and motivation, retaining a core sense of “breathe in” as reception of external energy or grace.
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Words that rhyme with "Inspiration"
-ion sounds
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