4 syllables: In, un, da, ted. Stress on In.
IN-uhn-day-tid
/ˈɪnəˌndeɪtɪd/
Inundated is pronounced IN-uhn-day-tid (/ˈɪnəˌndeɪtɪd/). It has four syllables (In-un-da-ted), with the stress on "In". Inundated is an adjective describing something flooded or overwhelmed with a large amount of water or information. It conveys a sense of being saturated or overwhelmed, often to the point of incapacity. The word implies an intense immersion or inundation that surpasses ordinary capacity or handling.
adjectiveInundated is an adjective describing something flooded or overwhelmed with a large amount of water or information. It conveys a sense of being saturated or overwhelmed, often to the point of incapacity. The word implies an intense immersion or inundation that surpasses ordinary capacity or handling.
"The basement was inundated after the heavy rain, forcing everyone to relocate temporarily."
"Shoppers were inundated with discount offers during the online sale."
"The reporter felt inundated with questions as soon as the press conference began."
Pronounce as in-un-DAY-ted with primary stress on the 3rd syllable: /ɪnˈʌn.deɪ.tɪd/ (US/UK). Start with /ɪ/ (short i), then a light /n/; the second syllable /ʌn/ rhymes with 'fun'. The stressed /deɪ/ uses a clear long A; finish with /tɪd/ where /ɪ/ is a short lax vowel and /d/ is a crisp ending. In connected speech, you may hear a slight reduction like /ɪnˈən.deɪ.tɪd/ in rapid speech, but aim for the strong /ˈdeɪ/ beat for clarity.
Common errors include stressing the wrong syllable (e.g., in-UN-day-ted) and mispronouncing the mid vowel as /ə/ in /ən/ sequence. Another frequent slip is pronouncing /deɪ/ as /diː/ or not clearly separating syllables, making it sound like one syllable word. Correction tips: place primary stress on the third syllable /ˈdeɪ/; keep /ɪn/ as a quick leading syllable, avoid tensing the tongue; clearly articulate /deɪ/ with a long A, then finish /tɪd/ with a soft /ɪ/ and crisp /d/.
US tends to /ɪnˈʌn.deɪ.tɪd/ with a rhotic /ɹ/ not present here; UK often /ɪnˈʌn.deɪ.tɪd/ and may have less vowel reduction in fast speech; AU tends to /ɪnəndˈeɪtɪd/ with a slightly flatter pitch and potential vowel merging in casual speech. The /ˈdeɪ/ diphthong remains, but vowel quality can shift: US may use a tenser /ɪ/ in the first syllable, UK might reduce /ʌ/ a touch, and AU may link vowels across syllables in rapid phrases.
The difficulty comes from the multi-syllabic structure and the vowel cluster in /ˌʌn.deɪ/ where the long A /eɪ/ must be crisp and not reduced. The initial /ɪn/ needs to be light, and the second syllable /ˈɌn/ requires a relaxed jaw while maintaining correct tongue height. Stress placement on the /deɪ/ syllable is crucial for intelligibility, and keeping the following /tɪd/ crisp without vocal flicker can be tough in rapid speech.
No silent letters. Every letter contributes to the syllables: /ɪ n ˈ ʌ n d eɪ t ɪ d/. The first I, the n, the unstressed second syllable /ʌn/; the stressed /deɪ/; and the final /tɪd/ all produce audible sounds. Ensure you articulate /n/ between syllables clearly so the word maintains its rhythm and does not blur together.
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US: strong /ˈdeɪ/; rhotics are present in surrounding words but not in the target itself. UK: often slightly less vowel reduction, crisp enunciation of /ɪn/ and /deɪ/; AU: tends to smoother vowel transitions and potential linking, with /ɪ/ reduced in rapid speech to ɪ or ɪə. Always keep the diphthong /eɪ/ prominent; avoid turning /deɪ/ into /diː/ or /də/.
Inundate comes from the late Latin inundāre, meaning to flood or overflow. The prefix in- meaning into or upon, combined with undāre (to surge, wave) from unda, wave, led to inundare in Latin, then inundate in English by the 17th century. The term originally described literal flooding and gradually expanded to figurative uses such as information, demands, or emotions flooding a person or system. Early English usage often described rivers overflowing their banks; by the 1800s, it also referred to being overwhelmed with tasks, questions, or data. The morphological structure mirrors other -date verbs formed from Latin roots with in- indicating inward action or intensification. The word has maintained its sense of excessive inflow, whether physical water or abstract load, across centuries, and remains common in both technical and everyday discourse." ,
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Inundated" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Inundated"
-ted sounds
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