One syllable: lasts.
lasts
/læsts/
lasts is pronounced lasts (/læsts/). It has one syllable (lasts), with the stress on "lasts". Lasts is the third-person singular present form of last, meaning to endure or to endure for a duration, and also the plural noun form in other contexts (for example, the lasts of a factory’s operations). It refers to what endures or remains over a period of time, or to the different versions of something used to shape or finish an object. In pronunciation, it ends with a voiceless /s/ sound following a short, closed syllable.
Lasts is the third-person singular present form of last, meaning to endure or to endure for a duration, and also the plural noun form in other contexts (for example, the lasts of a factory’s operations). It refers to what endures or remains over a period of time, or to the different versions of something used to shape or finish an object. In pronunciation, it ends with a voiceless /s/ sound following a short, closed syllable.
"The marathon lasts over four hours."
"These wooden lasts help shape the shoe."
"Her patience lasts only so long when the delay continues."
Pronounce as /læsts/ (US) or /lɑːsts/ (UK/AU). Start with the open front vowel /æ/ in US or /ɑː/ in UK/AU, then a crisp /l/ with the tongue at the alveolar ridge, followed by the /s/ and final /t/ release leading into /s/. The final /s/ is voiceless and crisp. For careful articulation: feel a quick stop after /t/ before the final /s/ that keeps the word light and short. IPA references: US /læsts/, UK/AU /lɑːsts/.
Common errors include substituting /læsts/ with a prolonged /læːsts/ due to influence of adjacent vowels, or softening the final /t/ leading to /læss/ or /lɑːst/ without the final /s/. A frequent mistake is misplacing the /s/ and /t/, producing /læst/ or /lats/; keep the /t/ clearly released into the final /s/. Focus on the crisp /t/ followed immediately by /s/ for accuracy. IPA anchors: /læsts/ or /lɑːsts/.
In US English you’ll use /læsts/, with a shorter, lax vowel and a clear /s/ followed by a crisp /t/ release. UK/AU varieties often use /lɑːsts/, with a longer, more open vowel; the /t/ can be a light tap or unreleased in very rapid speech, and the /s/ may be slightly softer or elongated in some dialects. The rhoticity doesn’t affect this word, but vowel quality changes can be perceptible in connected speech and before consonants. IPA: US /læsts/, UK/AU /lɑːsts/.
The difficulty comes from the consonant cluster /st/ followed by /s/, which creates a rapid, four-phoneme sequence /l-æ-/ plus s-t-s. The tongue must quickly transition from the alveolar /l/ to the alveolar /t/ and immediately into /s/. In rapid speech, the /t/ can be unreleased or assimilate, making the final /s/ blend with the previous /t/. Practicing as a minimal pair with /lash/ helps isolate the final /ts/ sequence.
A unique angle is the final /st/ cluster that urges a quick, clean release into /s/. You’ll want the tongue at the alveolar ridge for /t/ and then a crisp, voiceless /s/. Avoid letting the /s/ become a nasal or a voiced /z/ sound. Tap your tongue quickly between /t/ and /s/ to ensure a sharp transition, and practice with linked speech to feel the cadence of the word within phrases.
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The verb lasts comes from Old English lastan, which meant to endure or to continue. It is related to the noun last, meaning a form or mold used in shaping material like shoes, which shares the sense of shaping the duration or extent of something. The Proto-Germanic root *laisijaną or *laisōną is connected to the idea of remaining or staying, and it branches into related Germanic words for remaining, lasting, or enduring. Over time, the modern English verb retained the core sense of duration and endurance, often with a sense of continuity, while the noun lasts (the form used to shape shoes) diverged into its own specialized meaning. The spelling-and-sound changes reflect general shifts in English vowel pronunciation and consonant voicing through Middle English into Early Modern English, with the final -s suffix marking third-person singular or plural noun usage, depending on context. First known uses appear in Old English literature and legal texts, with the semantic field of endurance appearing in various instances well into the Middle English period. The transition from a general sense of “to endure” to “the thing that endures” is intertwined with the broader evolution of Germanic verbs and their noun forms, leading to the current dual role in English as a verb form and a noun for a mold or form used in manufacturing.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "lasts" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "lasts"
-sts sounds
-ast sounds
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