5 syllables: Me, ri, to, ri, ous. Stress on to.
mer-uh-TAW-ree-uhs
/ˌmɛɹəˈtɔɹiəs/
Meritorious is pronounced mer-uh-TAW-ree-uhs (/ˌmɛɹəˈtɔɹiəs/). It has five syllables (Me-ri-to-ri-ous), with the stress on "to". Meritorious is an adjective describing something deserving of merit or praise; it denotes commendable actions, qualities, or achievements. It carries a formal tone and is often used in evaluative or ceremonial contexts to mark worthy or laudable attributes. The term implies high merit evidenced by worthy results, behavior, or performance.
adjectiveMeritorious is an adjective describing something deserving of merit or praise; it denotes commendable actions, qualities, or achievements. It carries a formal tone and is often used in evaluative or ceremonial contexts to mark worthy or laudable attributes. The term implies high merit evidenced by worthy results, behavior, or performance.
- You often misplace the stress, giving met-uh-RI-toh-us instead of met-uh-RI-tori-ous; ensure the third syllable carries the beat. - The ending -rious can be slurred; ensure you articulate the /riə/ or /riəs/ sequence rather than a simple /əs/. - Vowel quality in unstressed syllables (the schwa in met-uh and the bridge vowel) can reduce clarity; keep them quick but definite. - Tip: practice with the word in isolation, then in context to lock rhythm positions, and use minimal pairs like meritorious vs. meteoritous as a cue to stress placement. - Inconsistent /r/ articulation by non-rhotic speakers may lead to variable clarity; maintain a clear but not exaggerated rhoticity in US, UK, or AU depending on target accent.
How to Pronounce Meritorious
"Her meritorious conduct during the crisis earned her a commendation from the committee."
"The award recognized the team’s meritorious efforts in developing the innovative device."
"Despite initial setbacks, the student’s meritorious performance demonstrated true perseverance."
- IPA: /ˌmɛtəˈrɪtɔːsiəs/ (US) or /ˌmɛtərˈɪtəriəs/ (UK). Primary stress falls on the third syllable: met-uh-RI-toh-ree-us in US; met-uh-RI-tor-ee-us with slight variation in UK. Start with a light “meh” /ˈmɛ/ then “tuh” /tə/ quickly, place strong stress on the “ri” or “ri-to” portion, and end with “ous” /əs/ or /iəs/. Keep the second syllable unstressed, avoid running the vowels together too tightly. Practice by isolating the stressed syllable and shaping the surrounding vowels clearly; you’ll hear the word unfolding as a gradual ascent to the -ri- syllable, then a smooth, articulated final cluster.”
Common errors include: 1) Prematurely stressing the wrong syllable, saying mer-IT-or-i-ous with stress on the first or second instead of the third. 2) Slurring the -ri- into -to- or reducing the middle vowels, producing met-oh-RI-ous. 3) Over-simplifying the ending, saying -ous as /əs/ without the clear /iəs/ or /ɔːsiəs/ depending on dialect. Correction: keep met-uh as a light preface, emphasize RI in the third syllable, and articulate the final -ous as /əs/ or /iəs/ with a crisp quality. Practice with minimal pairs to lock in the rhythm and stress pattern.”
In US English, the word is stressed on the third syllable with a sharp /ri/ onset and a clear final /əs/ or /iəs/. UK English often exhibits a slightly tighter vowel in the first syllables and a less rhotic flavor; stress remains on the third syllable, with final /ɒsiəs/ or /ərɪəs/ variants. Australian tends toward a broad /æ/ or /ɜː/ presence in some speakers and a relatively non-rhotic ending; the /r/ is typically less pronounced, and the final vowels may sound more centralized. Across all, the sequence met-uh-RI-toe-ree-us is common, with subtle vowel length and quality shifts per accent. Listening to native speech in Pronounce or Forvo helps map the nuanced differences.”
The difficulty stems from multi-syllabic stress placement and nuanced vowel shifts: the primary stress sits on the third syllable, which is less intuitive for many learners. The sequence met-uh-RI-tor-i-ous includes a mid-central vowel in the first unstressed syllable and a bright, tense vowel in the stressed syllable; the final -ious cluster can vary in quality across dialects. Additionally, the /t/ can be lightly released and followed by a creamy /r/ or a vowel-linked transition, making the word feel slippery. Focus on isolating and then blending the met-uh- RI- to- ri-ous segments with precise mouth positioning.”
A common point of confusion is the exact vowel quality in the second syllable: is it /tə/ or /təɹ/? In careful pronunciation, the second syllable is a neutral schwa /tə/ immediately preceding the stressed /ˈriː/ or /ˈri/ depending on dialect. The leading consonant cluster /mɛ/ settles with a light lip rounding, and the following /tər/ sequence often uses a shorter, subdued schwa for natural rhythm. Paying attention to the contrast between met-uh and -ri- can help maintain clarity; think of met-uh-RI-try-us rhythm rather than rapid elision.”
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- US: Stress third syllable; articulate /ri/ with a strong, clear rhotic /ɹ/ before the following vowel; final /əs/ or /iəs/ depends on speaker; keep the schwa in met- and the middle vowel short. - UK: Maintain non-rhoticity; /ɹ/ may be silent; ensure the third syllable carries the emphasis with crisp /tɔr/ or /tər/ transition; final vowel quality tends toward a close front, like /iəs/ or /əs/. - AU: Similar to US in rhotic aim, but vowel qualities can be broader; watch for a slightly broader /æ/ or /ɜː/ in the first or second syllable; final -ious may be pronounced with a light /jəs/ or /iəs/ depending on speaker. Reference IPA: US /ˌmɛtəˈrɪtɔːsiəs/, UK /ˌmɛtəˈrɪtəriəs/, AU /ˌmɛtəˈrɪtɔːriəs/. - General tip: maintain even tempo, avoid over-enunciating every vowel; use a steady rate to keep the multi-syllabic word from sounding choppy.
Meritorious derives from Latin meritorius, formed from merit (Latin meritus, ‘earned, deserved’) + -orius, a suffix denoting belonging to or connected with. The root merit traces to Latin merēre, meaning ‘to earn, deserve.’ In Classical Latin, meritorius described something deserving reward or praise. The term entered English through late Latin and the Romance languages, maintaining its formal sense of well-deserved praise. By the 17th–18th centuries, meritorious became common in English prose and rhetoric, especially in academic, legal, and ceremonial discourse, where it described actions or qualities that are worthy of merit or reward. Over time, its usage expanded beyond strict legal or ceremonial contexts to general evaluative writing, though it remains somewhat elevated or formal. First known use in English literature appears in the early modern period, aligning with the era’s emphasis on discernment, virtue, and moral evaluation. In contemporary usage, meritorious often conveys admiration for demonstrated achievement or virtue, typically with a positive, formal connotation. It is pronounced with stress on the second syllable: mer-IT-or-i-ous in some pronunciations, though many speakers use a four-syllable pattern with a clear emphasis on -ti- or -tor-. The word’s phonetic stability across dialects makes it a reliable term in formal writing and speech.
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Words that rhyme with "Meritorious"
-ous sounds
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