One syllable: Loath.
lohth
/loʊθ/
Loath is pronounced lohth (/loʊθ/). It has one syllable (Loath), with the stress on "Loath". Loath is an adjective meaning reluctant or unwilling to do something, often with strong aversion. It is used to describe a person’s unwillingness or a reluctance born of dislike, and is commonly followed by to + verb. The word can imply moral or strongly felt resistance, rather than a casual hesitation.
adjectiveLoath is an adjective meaning reluctant or unwilling to do something, often with strong aversion. It is used to describe a person’s unwillingness or a reluctance born of dislike, and is commonly followed by to + verb. The word can imply moral or strongly felt resistance, rather than a casual hesitation.
- You: Focus on two to three common pronunciation challenges: either mixing up the final /ð/ with /z/ or /s/, misplacing the tongue so the sound comes out as /d/ or /t/, or substituting a shorter /o/ vowel instead of /oʊ/. - Correction 1: Emphasize the /ð/ by lightly touching the upper teeth with the tongue and voicing; keep the /oʊ/ long and rounded. - Correction 2: Avoid silent final or devoicing; practice with a minimal pair like loath/loathes to ensure the /ð/ remains voiced. - Correction 3: Practice with a slow-to-normal pace; use feedback loops by recording yourself to hear the difference between /loʊð/ and /loʊθ/.
How to Pronounce Loath
"She was loath to admit her mistake, even when the evidence was clear."
"He was loath to join the team, citing concerns about the project’s feasibility."
"They were loath to abandon the plan, despite growing risks."
Loath is pronounced with a long /oʊ/ vowel followed by the voiced interdental fricative /ð/ in US and UK, transcribed as /loʊð/ or /ləʊð/ in non-rhotic varieties. The stress is on the first syllable: LOH-th. In US, ensure your tongue lightly touches the upper teeth for /ð/ while maintaining the /oʊ/ glide. In some accents, the /oʊ/ can be closer to /oː/; keep the vowel tight and avoid a clipped /θ/ or /ð/ substitute. Listen for a smooth, voiced dental fricative at the end.
Common mistakes include pronouncing it like 'loath' with a short /a/ as in 'loathe' or misplacing the /ð/ as a /z/ or /s/ in final position. Another error is dropping the /ð/ entirely, ending with /loʊ/; or turning the final sound into /θ/ (unvoiced) instead of /ð/ (voiced). Correct by keeping the glide /oʊ/ long and ensuring the final dental fricative is voiced: /ð/. Practice with minimal pairs and tap the /ð/ with your tongue on the upper teeth while voicing.
In General American, you’ll hear /loʊθ/ with a clear long /oʊ/ and a voiced /θ/ at the end? actually US typically uses /loʊð/, with the final /ð/ voiced. In many UK varieties, loath is pronounced /ləʊð/ with a slightly shorter first vowel before the /ð/ and non-rhotic r-less pronunciation. Australian English mirrors UK patterns, often with a similar /ləʊð/ or /lɔːθ/ depending on speaker; some Australians may reduce to /loːθ/ in rapid speech. The main difference is vowel quality: US tends to /loʊ/, UK/AU may be slightly more rounded and shorter before /ð/; rhoticity is not directly relevant here as /ð/ is dental, not rhotic.
The difficulty lies in the final voiced dental fricative /ð/ after a long diphthong /oʊ/ and the word’s tense vowel-timed rhythm. The mouth layout requires the tongue to approach the upper teeth for /ð/ without letting it become /d/ or /z/. The blend of a long vowel followed by a voiced dental fricative is challenging for speakers whose first language lacks /ð/; maintaining voicing and precise dental contact is key. Practice slowly, then speed up while keeping the tongue anchored to the teeth and the /oʊ/ glide clean.
A unique tip is to think of the word as two parts: LOH + TH. Start with a strong, long /oʊ/ vowel, then gently place the tip of the tongue between the upper and lower front teeth to voice /ð/. Keep your lips neutral and avoid rounding too much; the final sound should be a clean dental fricative without voicing on the leading consonant. Audio reference: listen to native speakers on Forvo or YouGlish to hear the difference between both US and UK realizations.
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- US: /loʊð/ with a clearly voiced dental fricative; keep mouth open slightly and jaw relaxed; the /oʊ/ is a long, rising diphthong. - UK: /ləʊð/ or /ləʊθ/ in some registers, the /oʊ/ becomes /əʊ/ and vowel is slightly shorter; final /ð/ remains voiced in most careful speech. - AU: /ləʊð/ similar to UK; vowel tends toward /ɒ/ in some dialects? but generally close to /əʊ/. Focus on tongue position between teeth; keep dental contact light but voicing strong. - IPA references provided; watch for non-rhoticity nuances that might shift preceding vowels.
Loath comes from Old English la, lod?; the modern form is rooted in loath/loathsome development from Proto-Germanic *laþaz, related to loathe. The word originally carried the sense of being loath or reluctant, with connotations of hatred or strong aversion in some contexts. In Middle English, loath shifted to meaning reluctant or unwilling, often in moral or social contexts (e.g., loath to offend). Its usage broadened in Early Modern English to cover general reluctance, while maintaining its formal tone in many contexts. The pronunciation, historically “loth” with a voiceless ‘th’ sound, has remained stable in British English, while American usage often aligns with the broader spelling-loan correspondence. The evolution reflects a stable association with avoidance and resistance, cemented by phrases like “loath to betray” and “loath to admit fault.” The word is still used in formal registers today, frequently in legal, literary, or high-register prose, and remains a marker of careful diction when describing moral or strong hesitation. First known use appears in Old English texts; by the 13th century, loath had entered Middle English with the sense of reluctance, eventually producing the modern adjectives widely used in contemporary English.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Loath" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Loath" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Loath"
-oat sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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