One syllable: laced.
/leɪst/
Say it backLaced refers to something that has been tied or interlaced with a lace or string, or figuratively to something rich, infused, or сложено with a quality (e.g., laced with irony). In pronunciation terms, it is a single-syllable verb/adjective with the vowel sound in “lace,” ending in the voiceless alveolar stop /t/ when used in past tense and spoken variants may merge with surrounding sounds. Core meaning centers on joining by a lace or adding a distinctive quality, often implying complexity or embellishment.
"The shoes were laced tightly before the race."
"The tea was laced with cinnamon for a spiced aroma."
"Her words were laced with sarcasm, making the critique sting."
Pronounce it as /leɪst/. Start with a long A as in “face,” then end with the /st/ cluster. The final consonant is voiceless; in rapid speech some speakers may devoice slightly, so you may hear /leɪst/ with a crisp /t/. Stress is on the only syllable.
Common errors: 1) Slurring the /t/ into a voiced stop, producing /leɪzd/; 2) Shortening the vowel to a lax /e/ as in “let,” resulting in /let/; 3) Dropping the /l/ or starting with a reduced onset in fast speech. Correction: articulate an initial clear /l/ by lifting the tongue tip to the alveolar ridge, hold the /eɪ/ vowel, and end with a precise /st/—ensure voiceless /t/ by keeping the vocal cords unvoiced.
In US, UK, and AU, the nucleus vowel is /eɪ/. Rhotic differences don’t affect this word much since it ends with /st/. The main variation is in vowel length and the preconsonantal timing: US tends to have a marginally quicker alveolar fricative release; UK accents may show crisper /st/ with less vowel length before it; AU may have a slightly fronted /eɪ/ due to general Australian vowel shifts, but the word remains /leɪst/ acrossAll.
The challenge lies in maintaining a clean, unvoiced /t/ at the end of a stressed, single-syllable word and merging the diphthong /eɪ/ with a consonant cluster /st/. You’ll hear tension in the tongue as you transition from the mid-to-high front position for /eɪ/ to the alveolar /s/ and /t/. Practice by isolating the diphthong, then adding the /st/ in a single beat to avoid breaking the word into two parts.
Yes. As a past tense or past participle form, you often pronounce /leɪst/ with a crisp final /t/ when the verb is used actively (they laced the shoes). In rapid or casual speech, the /t/ can be flapped or unreleased, sounding closer to /leɪs/ or /leɪzd/. The most reliable pronunciation keeps a distinct /t/ and does not move to /d/ except in connected speech where voicing assimilation occurs.
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US: non-rhotic consonants aren’t a factor here; focus on a clear /leɪst/ with a light, tip-of-tongue /l/. UK: crisper /st/ release and slightly shorter vowel, but still /eɪ/. AU: vowels can be broader; keep /eɪ/ fronted and maintain the final /st/ without vocalization. IPA references: US /leɪst/, UK /leɪst/, AU /leɪst/.
Laced comes from the noun lace, which itself derives from Old French lace (laice) and Middle English laces, from the Latin lacis, lacis meaning fabric with a net-like structure, tied with cords. The verb sense to bind with lace appeared in the English language by the 14th century as clothing and footwear laces became common, with the past tense laced emerging as a natural derivative. The metaphorical sense “to add a quality or element” emerged later in English, with usage attested in early modern literature as “laced with poison” or “laced with irony.” Over time, the form stabilized as a past participle/adjective, employed in both literal and figurative contexts. First known uses appear in textile and garment descriptions, then extending to beverages or phrases where a substance is added “laced with” another item, a development visible in 16th–18th century prose. Modern usage includes describing things that are composed or entwined with something else, both tangible and abstract, while retaining its root idea of interlacing or adding an influential element.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "laced" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "laced" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "laced"
-ced sounds
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