3 syllables: lau, nder, ing. Stress on lau.
/ˈlɔndɚɪŋ/
Say it backLaundering refers to the process of washing clothes or textiles, especially in a machine, or the broader act of cleansing or purifying something, often used metaphorically in contexts like money laundering. It conveys the transformation of dirty items or illicit proceeds into clean, legitimate form. The term is commonly used in domestic, retail, and legal discussions about washing or financial crime.
"- She spent the morning laundering the family's old blankets."
"- The report covers money laundering and how banks detect it."
"- After the hike, he began laundering his hiking clothes at the lodge."
Pronounce as LAWN-der-ing, with stress on the first syllable. IPA US/UK/AU: /ˈlɔːn.də.rɪŋ/. The first vowel is a long open-mid back rounded vowel, similar to 'law' but longer in duration; the second syllable uses a schwa or a quick ə, and the final '-ing' uses a regular /ɪŋ/ sound. Ensure the 'lau-' starts with rounded lips, and the 'nd' is a clear alveolar nasal with a light dental 'd' touch. Audio reference: listen to native speakers saying “laundering” in phrases like money laundering in news reports.
Two frequent errors: 1) Slurring the 'lau-' to a quick 'low' or 'law' without the proper long /ɔː/; keep it stretched: /ˈlɔːn/. 2) Overemphasizing the second syllable or mispronouncing the 'nd' as a separate nasal cluster; keep it as a smooth /dər/ with a light /ər/ reducing to /də/ in rapid speech. Practice saying LAWN-dər-ing with steady tempo and clarity on the /nd/.
In US, UK, and AU, the first syllable maintains /ɔː/ or /ɔːr/ depending on rhoticity; rhotic accents may realize a subtle rhotic element in the '-ring' ending as /ˈlɔːn.də.rɪŋ/ with a lighter /ə/ in US, and /ˈlɔːn.dəːr.ɪŋ/ in non-rhotic UK varieties where the /r/ is not pronounced in syllable-final position. Australian English tends toward /ˈlɔːn.də.rɪŋ/ with a more centralized /ə/ and slight /ɹ/ realization for rhotic speakers. Overall, the main vowel quality and the presence of /r/ in final position differentiate accents.
The difficulty comes from the sequence /ɔːn/ in the first syllable and the following /ə/ and /r/ sounds in rapid succession: LAWN-der-ing. The /ɔː/ can be tricky because it requires a prolonged open-mid back vowel, while the /nd/ cluster demands precise tongue placement to avoid a nasalized or homorganic blend. The final /ɪŋ/ can reduce to /ɪn/ in fast speech. By practicing with slow, deliberate enunciation you’ll master this sequence.
A unique feature is the transition from the long back vowel /ɔː/ to the alveolar nasal /n/ and the subsequent alveolar stop /d/ before the reduced vowel in '-ering'. The cluster /nd/ often links to a light /d/ with minimal aspiration, especially in fast speech, creating a smooth /lɔːn.də.rɪŋ/ flow. Paying attention to this boundary helps avoid inserting extra vowels or misplacing the /r/ in non-rhotic contexts.
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Laundering comes from the older verb laundry, which derives from the Old French words laver (to wash) and lave-linge in some related forms, tracing ultimately to Latin lavare. The modern sense of laundering as washing clothes is attested in English from the 14th century onward. The financial crime sense, money laundering, emerged in the 20th century and became widely used in the 1980s and 1990s with increased public awareness of illicit funds being ‘washed’ to appear legitimate. The word laundress historically referred to a person who washes clothes, and the broader metaphor of cleansing something morally or legally has reinforced the usage in law, banking, and journalism. First known use of the idiom money laundering appears in investigative and criminology literature in mid-20th century, with popular adoption in public discourse by the late 20th century. The evolution from literal washing to metaphorical cleansing reflects a linguistic shift that leverages the familiar act of laundering to describe complex financial processes.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "laundering" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "laundering"
-ing sounds
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