2 syllables: long, est. Stress on long.
LAWNG-guhst
/ˈlɔŋɡəst/
longest is pronounced LAWNG-guhst (/ˈlɔŋɡəst/). It has two syllables (long-est), with the stress on "long". Longest is the superlative form of long, used to describe the greatest extent or duration among a group. It refers to something with the most length or duration in a given context, and is commonly used in comparative and descriptive statements. The word combines the base adjective long with the superlative suffix -est, signaling peak degree or extent.
Longest is the superlative form of long, used to describe the greatest extent or duration among a group. It refers to something with the most length or duration in a given context, and is commonly used in comparative and descriptive statements. The word combines the base adjective long with the superlative suffix -est, signaling peak degree or extent.
- Over-shortening the first syllable: You might say /ˈlɒŋɪst/ with a rushed vowel; fix by prolonging /ɔː/ or /ɒ/ to near-diphthong length before the nasal. - Weak /t/ release: Don’t stop at /st/ without crisp release; micro-release makes the word sound unfinished. - Inconsistent tongue position: Let /ŋ/ and /ɪ/ connect smoothly; keep tongue blade high for /ŋ/ and drop to /ɪ/ without a gap. - Hyper-articulating: Overemphasizing the /t/ or breaking the word into two syllables; keep it as a tight, single unit with a brief /t/ release. - Final consonant assimilation: In rapid speech, sometimes /st/ may sound like /s/ or /t/; practice a clean alveolar /t/ release. Practice: say the sequence slowly, then speed up while keeping the same articulatory settings.
"This is the longest bridge in the region."
"She held the longest note in the choir."
"They traveled the longest distance of any team."
Pronounce as /ˈlɔːŋɪst/ in US/UK/AU with primary stress on the first syllable. Start with an open back rounded vowel /ɔː/ (like 'thought' without the 't'), then the nasal /ŋ/ as in 'long', and finish with /ɪst/ where /ɪ/ is a short 'i' and /st/ lands with a crisp alveolar stop followed by /t/. Mouth starts open, lips neutral to slightly rounded for /ɔː/. IPA reference: US /ˈlɔːŋɪst/; UK /ˈlɒŋɪst/; AU /ˈlɔːŋɪst/.
Common errors include de-emphasizing the first syllable (pronouncing as /ˈlɒŋɪst/ with weak stress), or conflating with ‘long’ + ‘est’ without the /ŋ/ cluster becoming /ŋ/ (e.g., saying /ˈlɑːdʒɪst/). Some learners mispronounce the final /st/ as a weak /s/ or /t/ without crisp release. To correct: keep strong initial stress on LONG, ensure the /ɔː/ or /ɒ/ is rounded/open as required by your accent, and deliver a clear /ŋ/ before /ɪst/. IPA guidance: /ˈlɔːŋɪst/ (US/AU) or /ˈlɒŋɪst/ (UK).
US/AU typically use /ˈlɔːŋɪst/ with a rounded back vowel /ɔː/ and rhotic influence in some speakers; UK often uses /ˈlɒŋɪst/ with a shorter /ɒ/ and non-rhoticity, though some speakers may voice rhotics in rapid speech. In both, the /ŋ/ stays consistent; the /t/ may be unreleased in fast speech. Pay attention to vowel quality: US tends to longer, more open /ɔː/; UK favors a shorter, looser /ɒ/. Auditory cues: listen for the sustained /ɔː/ or /ɒ/ before /ŋɪst/. IPA notes: US/AU /ˈlɔːŋɪst/, UK /ˈlɒŋɪst/.
'Longest' challenges you with 1) a tense low-mid back vowel sounds (/ɔː/ or /ɒ/) that must hold while you glide into the nasal /ŋ/ 2) a consonant cluster /ŋɪst/ that requires precise timing and crisp /t/ release 3) maintaining strong stress on the first syllable in connected speech. Small shifts in tongue position between /ɔː/ /ɒ/ and /ŋ/ can alter perceived length, so anchor the vowel before the nasal and then snap the /t/. IPA anchors: /ˈlɔːŋɪst/ or /ˈlɒŋɪst/ across dialects.
The unique feature is the long, rounded back vowel before a hard nasal onset /ŋ/. You should also monitor the /st/ ending: keep the /t/ released but not exaggerated, so the word remains a clean, single unit. Focus on sustaining the first vowel just long enough to cue /ɔː/ or /ɒ/ before the nasal, then a quick, precise /ɪ/ in the nucleus of the final syllable. IPA: /ˈlɔːŋɪst/ or /ˈlɒŋɪst/.
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- US: /ˈlɔːŋɪst/ with rounded /ɔː/ and more rhotic resonance in some regions; keep /r/ out of the word itself (non-rhotic r not applicable here). - UK: /ˈlɒŋɪst/ with shorter, more open /ɒ/ and non-rhotic /r/ behavior; the /ɒ/ is more clipped; keep /ŋ/ strong before /ɪst/. - AU: often mirrors US with /ɔː/; some speakers exhibit broader mouth rounding on /ɔː/ and a more relaxed /ɪ/; rhoticity not present in this word, so focus on vowel quality. IPA references: US/AU /ˈlɔːŋɪst/; UK /ˈlɒŋɪst/. - Vowel transitions: prepare the move from /ɔː/ or /ɒ/ to /ŋ/ with a precise tongue position; the mandible should drop slightly to accommodate the long vowel, then lift into the nasal.
Longest originates from the Old English word langost, the superlative form of lang, meaning long. The suffix -est was added to form the superlative degree, mirroring patterns seen in other adjectives. Over time, langost evolved into longest through phonological shifts in Middle English, aligning with standardized English morphology. The transition from lang to long involved vowel changes and assimilation, while the addition of -est followed the common historical pattern for forming superlatives from monosyllabic adjectives. The earliest recorded uses appear in medieval texts, where 'langest' or 'longest' described degrees of length or duration, eventually stabilizing into the modern form longest by Early Modern English as spelling conventions converged and pronunciation shifted. Today, 'longest' is ubiquitous in both literal measures of length and metaphorical expressions of extent, retaining its sense of maximum duration or size within a given set.
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Words that rhyme with "longest"
-me) sounds
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