2 syllables: lis, ted. Stress on lis.
LIS-tuhd
/ˈlɪstəd/
listed is pronounced LIS-tuhd (/ˈlɪstəd/). It has two syllables (lis-ted), with the stress on "lis". Listed is the past participle and past tense form of list, used as an adjective or verb. In everyday use, it denotes something that has been cataloged or included on a list, or it describes something that was included in a master schedule. It’s a short, crisp word that hinges on precise /l/ and a clear /ɪ/ vowel before the final /t/ or /ɪd/ cluster in some surrounding forms.
Listed is the past participle and past tense form of list, used as an adjective or verb. In everyday use, it denotes something that has been cataloged or included on a list, or it describes something that was included in a master schedule. It’s a short, crisp word that hinges on precise /l/ and a clear /ɪ/ vowel before the final /t/ or /ɪd/ cluster in some surrounding forms.
"The items are listed on the inventory sheet."
"She listed her preferences before the meeting."
"Only the features listed in the contract are covered."
Pronounce it as two syllables: /ˈlɪs.tɪd/. The primary stress is on the first syllable: LIST-?id. Start with a clear /l/ followed by a short /ɪ/ (as in kit), then a light /s/ before a crisp /t/; the final /ɪd/ reduces to a quick /ɪd/ or /əd/, but keep the /d/ audible. In connected speech, you may hear a very brief alveolar stop at the /t/ and a soft /d/; aim for /ˈlɪs.tɪd/ with a clean /t/ release.
Common mistakes: 1) Slurring the /l/ and /ɪ/ into a dull vowel, producing /lɪd/ or /lɪst/ without the final /ɪd/. 2) Dropping the final /d/ or making it inaudible in rapid speech, yielding /ˈlɪst/. 3) Over-articulating the /t/, making it sound like a separate word. Correction: maintain a crisp /t/ before the final /d/ so you hear /tɪd/; keep the /ɪ/ in the second syllable distinct. Practice with careful enunciation of the /t/ and a light, quick /d/ release.
US/UK/AU similarities: all share /ˈlɪs.tɪd/ structure. Differences lie in vowel quality: US rhymes with KIT /ɪ/ slightly lax and the /t/ often flapped in rapid speech; UK tends toward a crisper, more dental /t/ with less flapping; AU typically aligns with non-rhotic tendencies in some speakers but often maintains a fully pronounced /t/ and /d/, with vowel duration similar to UK. Stress remains on the first syllable in all. Overall, the core is /ˈlɪs.tɪd/ with subtle vowel shifts.
The difficulty comes from the two consonants in close proximity between /s/ and /t/ and the final /d/ cluster. The /t/ should be released crisply without merging into a /d/ sound in careful speech, but in fast speech it can blend, making it sound like /lɪstɪ/ or /ˈlɪstɪ/. The vowel in the second syllable /ɪ/ is short and can be reduced in rapid speech. Mastery requires coordinating tongue blade for the /s/, alveolar stop for /t/, and the following /d/ release—keeping them distinct yet fluid.
Yes. The word places primary emphasis on the first syllable and ends with a voiceless-to-voiced transition consonant cluster (/t/ followed by /d/) which can invite subtle assimilation or flapping in casual speech. The /ɪ/ of the second syllable is short and often reduced in fast speech. For precise articulation, aim for a crisp /t/ release and make the final /d/ audible rather than letting the /t/ blend into a voiceless stop. This yields clear, professional pronunciation in all registers.
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Listed derives from the verb list, itself from Old English listan, which meant to crave, to desire, or to enlist (in the sense of a catalog or record). The sense shift toward “to catalog items” emerged in the late medieval to early modern period as inventory and record-keeping practices expanded. The noun list, from Proto-Germanic *listizą (way, path, line of names), contributed to the semantic field of rows or lines, which naturally extended to inventories and catalogs. By the 16th–17th centuries, listed and listing appeared in English texts to indicate items arranged in a list, or the act of placing items onto a list. The past participle form listed became common in legal and commercial language to denote items that have been included or registered. Today, listed is used across formal writing, contracts, catalogs, and everyday speech to indicate inclusion or registration, with the pronunciation maintaining the final /t/ cluster when used as a past participle in connected speech. First known uses appear in records of inventory, cataloging, and legal schedules where items were explicitly “listed” for reference or compliance.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "listed" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "listed"
-ted sounds
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