2 syllables: in, sults. Stress on sults.
in-SUHLTS
/ˌɪˈnsʌlts/
insults is pronounced in-SUHLTS (/ˌɪˈnsʌlts/). It has two syllables (in-sults), with the stress on "sults". Insults refers to expressions or actions intended to offend or demean someone, often delivered verbally but can be shown in body language or gestures. In everyday speech, the word can describe both a single affront or repeated, hostile remarks, and it carries a negative affect that can escalate social tension. It functions as a plural noun or verb form, depending on context, with the nuance of intentional disrespect.
Insults refers to expressions or actions intended to offend or demean someone, often delivered verbally but can be shown in body language or gestures. In everyday speech, the word can describe both a single affront or repeated, hostile remarks, and it carries a negative affect that can escalate social tension. It functions as a plural noun or verb form, depending on context, with the nuance of intentional disrespect.
- You might pronounce insults as in-SULT or in-SULTS with a heavy unstressed first syllable; correct by practicing the second syllable /sʌlt/ with strong on-glide for /s/ and the final /ts/—no extra vowel. - You may blend the final /ts/ into a single /t/ or /s/; fix by saying /t͡s/ as a single release with a crisp stop and voiceless fricative, not /t/ followed by a breath. - Mispronouncing /ʌ/ as /ə/ (schwa) leads to reduced perceived emphasis; keep the stressed /ʌ/ clear and open. Practice with slow drills, then speed up.
"- The comedian’s routine included a few harsh insults directed at politicians."
"- He realized his comments about her career were insults, not jokes."
"- The administrator warned that persistent insults would violate the code of conduct."
Pronounced /ɪnˈsʌlts/ (in-SULTS). Start with a short initial vowel /ɪ/, then the stressed syllable /ˈsʌl/ with a clear /s/ before /ʌ/, and end with a final /ts/ cluster. Mouth: lips relaxed, tongue tip at the alveolar ridge for /s/ and /t͡s/; avoid adding an extra vowel between /l/ and /ts/. An audio reference would align with standard American pronunciation, and you can compare to the UK/AU variants which keep the same IPA but may have subtle vowel timbre differences.
Common errors: a) treating the word as two syllables with a weak stress on the second component, producing in-sults; b) producing a hesitant /ʌ/ or misplacing the /l/ and /t/ leading to /ɪnsəlts/ or /ɪnˈsəlts/; correction: maintain strong secondary syllable onset for /sʌl/ and enunciate the final /ts/ cluster clearly, ensuring the voiceless alveolar affricate is released crisply without a vowel between /l/ and /t/. Practice with minimal pairs like /ɪnˈsʌlts/ vs /ɪnˈsɔːlts/ to feel vowel variance.
Across accents, /ɪnˈsʌlts/ remains largely similar, but vowel quality in the /ʌ/ can vary: US often has a brighter /ʌ/, UK can be a bit more centralized, and AU may exhibit a slightly rounded or centralized vowel in certain speakers. The final /ts/ cluster is typically unvoiced in all three, but tempo, flapping in some US dialects can affect the preceding /l/ timing. Rhoticity does not affect this word, but intonation patterns can influence perceived emphasis.
The difficulty lies in the /n/ plus the consonant cluster /s/ + /l/ + /ts/, requiring precise tongue positioning: the alveolar sequence to release /s/ into /l/ before transitioning to the affricate /t͡s/. Additionally, the stress falls on the second syllable, which can lead to misplacement of emphasis in rapid speech. Clear articulation of the final /ts/ without a vowel between /l/ and /t/ is essential.
In extremely casual or rapid speech, some speakers may reduce or devoice the final /s/, producing something closer to /ɪnˈsʌlts/ with a weaker sibilant or a shorter, clipped final sound. However, for most careful speech and in formal contexts, the final /s/ remains clear as /t͡s/. Practicing the final cluster in isolation helps you maintain its integrity even when speed rises.
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- US: emphasize rhotacized vowel qualities are not relevant here; focus on a crisp /ˈsʌlt/ onset after /nɪn/; /ɪ/ initial is lax. - UK: keep non-rhoticity but ensure /t͡s/ release; final cluster should be clean, with a slightly longer vowel in the stressed syllable; - AU: tends to be slightly flatter vowels; keep /ɪn/ as short as possible, but maintain the /ʌ/ in /ˈsʌlts/ with a crisp final affricate. IPA references: US /ɪnˈsʌlts/, UK /ɪnˈsʌlts/, AU /ɪnˈsʌlts/.
Insults comes from the Latin insultus, which in Latin means a throwing back or a mocking; it derived from the verb insul̆lere, meaning to jump upon or to spring at. The term migrated into Old French as insult, then into English in the 14th century with meanings tied to a tactical or verbal affront. Over time, English usage narrowed to refer to affronts and disrespectful remarks. The modern plural insults retains the sense of multiple acts of disrespect. The word’s semantic field broadened in the 18th and 19th centuries to cover social slights and personal offenses, both verbal and nonverbal, while still conjuring a sense of intentional harm or humiliation. First known use in English appears in medieval contexts, often describing military or rhetorical “insults” as a form of offense, with evolving social implications as formal codes of conduct emerged.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "insults" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "insults"
-lts sounds
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