4 syllables: me, ta, bo, lized. Stress on ta.
muh-TAB-uh-leyezd
/məˈtæbəˌlaɪzd/
metabolized is pronounced muh-TAB-uh-leyezd (/məˈtæbəˌlaɪzd/). It has four syllables (me-ta-bo-lized), with the stress on "ta". Metabolized means processed by metabolism, typically referring to the body's conversion of substances into energy or less active forms for elimination. The term can describe biochemical transformation of drugs or nutrients, or any process where a compound is chemically altered by metabolic pathways. It implies completion of a biochemical processing stage, often resulting in products that are more water-soluble for excretion.
Metabolized means processed by metabolism, typically referring to the body's conversion of substances into energy or less active forms for elimination. The term can describe biochemical transformation of drugs or nutrients, or any process where a compound is chemically altered by metabolic pathways. It implies completion of a biochemical processing stage, often resulting in products that are more water-soluble for excretion.
"The liver metabolized the drug quickly, reducing its effectiveness."
"Phenylalanine is metabolized into tyrosine through a series of enzyme-catalyzed steps."
"Some substances are metabolized into inactive forms before they can cause harm."
You say /məˈtæ.bəˌlaɪzd/. The primary stress lands on the second syllable ta-, with a secondary beat on -la- in the last two syllables. Start with a schwa, then the /ˈtæ/ as in 'cat,' followed by a light /bə/ and end with /laɪzd/ where /laɪ/ rhymes with 'fly' and /zd/ is a voiced alveolar affricate. Tip: keep the /ˈtæ/ crisp and avoid over-singing the /ə/ after it.
Common errors: (1) Misplacing primary stress, saying /ˈmiːtəˌbɒlˌɪzd/; (2) Flattening the /laɪ/ into a quick /lɪ/ or /laɪ/ incorrectly; (3) Dropping the /ə/ syllables making it /məˈtæβəlaɪzd/. Correction: practice the two primary vowels /æ/ and /laɪ/ distinctly, keep the /ə/ vowels light, and rehearse the sequence met-a-bol-ized with even timing. Use IPA references and record to compare.
US pronunciation /məˈtæ.bəˌlaɪzd/ places stronger rhotics and a clear /æ/ in ta-. UK pronunciation /məˈtæ.bə.lʌɪzd/ often shows a slightly different flow in the -laɪzd ending with less emphasis on the /r/like quality. Australian tends to be more vowel-reduced in the middle syllables but preserves the /laɪzd/ ending clearly. Main variation lies in rhoticity and middle vowel quality; the final syllable remains /laɪzd/ across accents.
The difficulty comes from the multi-syllabic cadence and the slotted stress pattern. The sequence -ta- + -bo- + -lized mixes a short /æ/ with a lighter /ə/ and a tricky /laɪzd/ ending. The bridging vowels and consonant clusters can blur in fast speech. Focus on crisp /ˈtæ/ and the /laɪzd/ ending while maintaining even syllable timing.
Is there a subtle alveolar assimilation between /t/ and /æ/ when the word starts? Yes. In fluent speech you often hear a slightly softened /t/ transitioning into /æ/, especially when preceding a fast consonant cluster. You can practice by saying /məˈtæ.bə.laɪzd/ with a crisp /t/ but allow the following /æ/ to remain open; avoid t-glottalization in careful speech.
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Metabolize comes from the Greek meta- meaning 'change' or 'after' and bole (or bolē) meaning 'cast, throw' in the sense of a throwing forward of material or transformation. The term entered English science vocabulary in the late 19th to early 20th centuries as biochemistry formalized the concept of metabolism. The suffix -ize indicates a verb form meaning 'to cause to become' or 'to subject to.' The past participle metabolized appears in medical and biochemical literature to describe substances that have undergone metabolic processing. The word’s evolution tracks the rise of metabolism as a central biochemical concept, from foundational theories of respiration and digestion to modern molecular pharmacokinetics, where drugs are tracked through phase I and II metabolic pathways. First known use in print appears in academic texts around the 1900s, aligning with the broader adoption of metabolism as a distinct field of study. The structure metabol- (change, transformation) plus -ize (to cause) plus -d (past participle) yields a precise descriptor for an organism's processing of compounds, particularly drugs, toxins, and nutrients. Contemporary usage spans medical, pharmacological, nutritional, and forensic contexts.
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Words that rhyme with "metabolized"
-zed sounds
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