2 syllables: las, ting. Stress on las.
LAS-ting
/ˈlæstɪŋ/
lasting is pronounced LAS-ting (/ˈlæstɪŋ/). It has two syllables (las-ting), with the stress on "las". lasting is an adjective or verb form meaning enduring or continuing for a long period, or to continue over a period of time. It often describes durability or the duration of something, as in “a lasting impact” or “the lasting rain.” In pronunciation terms, it is a two-syllable word with primary stress on the first syllable.
lasting is an adjective or verb form meaning enduring or continuing for a long period, or to continue over a period of time. It often describes durability or the duration of something, as in “a lasting impact” or “the lasting rain.” In pronunciation terms, it is a two-syllable word with primary stress on the first syllable.
"- The effects of the policy are lasting for years."
"- They formed a lasting partnership that grew stronger over time."
"- He faced lasting consequences after the decision."
Pronounce as two syllables with primary stress on the first: US/UK/AU: /ˈlæ.stɪŋ/ or /ˈlɑː.stɪŋ/ (UK). The first vowel is a short front lax /æ/ in US; in UK, many speakers use /ɑː/ in the first syllable. The second syllable reduces to /stɪŋ/. Visualize lips unrounded, jaw slightly open for the first vowel, tongue high in front for /æ/ (or lower/back for /ɑː/), then a clear /st/ cluster and a lax /ɪ/ in the second syllable. You’ll hear a crisp stop after the /l/.”},{
Common mistakes: 1) Reducing to a single syllable in rapid speech (las-ting). 2) Misplacing stress as /ˈlæs.tɪŋ/? or confusing /æ/ with /eɪ/ in the first vowel. 3) Latching onto an /l/ onset without a light /l/; sometimes speakers add an extra /t/ or mispronounce /st/. Correction: practice with clear two-syllable utterance, ensure primary stress on the first syllable, keep /æ/ or /ɑː/ accurate per accent, and produce the /st/ cluster smoothly before /ɪŋ/.”},{
In US English, lasting is typically /ˈlæ.stɪŋ/ with a tense lax /æ/ and a clear /st/ cluster before /ɪŋ/. UK English often uses /ˈlɑː.stɪŋ/ or /ˈlæs.tɪŋ/ depending on region, with a longer first vowel and non-rhotic r. Australian English tends toward /ˈlæs.tɪŋ/ or /ˈlæ.stɪŋ/, with a slightly flatter vowel in the first syllable and strong, crisp /st/ consonants. The rhoticity mainly affects surrounding words; lasting itself typically retains its two-syllable rhythm across accents.”},{
Two main challenges: the two-syllable rhythm with clear onset consonants and a tight /st/ cluster. The first vowel can be mispronounced as a longer /æ/ or rounded /ɑː/ depending on accent, which shifts the word’s feel. The /st/ cluster is fast in fluent speech, so many replace it with /s/ or insert a vowel between /l/ and /st/. Focus on producing a crisp /l/ followed by /st/ and a reduced but audible /ɪŋ/ in the second syllable.”},{
A unique feature is the two-syllable structure with initial stress and a consonant cluster /st/ immediately following the /l/ in an unstressed or stressed onset. The second syllable has a reduced vowel /ɪ/ before the final /ŋ/. This makes it easy to compress the word into /ˈlɑːstn/ or /ˈlæ.stən/ if enunciated loosely. The strategic focus should be on maintaining the /st/ cluster integrity and ending with a clear, quiet nasal /ŋ/.
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Lasting derives from the verb last, meaning to endure or continue in duration. The noun and adjective forms became common in Middle English and earlier, with last hypostasis rooted in Old English læstan (to last, endure) and linked to Proto-Germanic *laisijaną (to endure, last). The sense of endurance or duration broadened to describe effects, memories, relationships, or conditions that persist. By the 16th–17th centuries, lasting as an adjective was established to modify nouns (lasting peace, lasting impression). The term has since retained its core sense of persistence through time, often with a connotation of durability or lasting impact rather than momentary presence. In modern usage, it spans adjectives like lasting, durable, and persistent, and can be used metaphorically (lasting influence, lasting emotions).
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Words that rhyme with "lasting"
-ing sounds
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