3 syllables: mi, gra, ting. Stress on mi.
MEYE-gray-ting
/ˈmaɪˌɡɹeɪtɪŋ/
migrating is pronounced MEYE-gray-ting (/ˈmaɪˌɡɹeɪtɪŋ/). It has three syllables (mi-gra-ting), with the stress on "mi". Migrating is the process or action of moving from one place to another, typically on a seasonal basis, or the act of moving information or data from one system to another. It can also describe the ongoing movement of people, animals, or things across geographic areas. In grammar, the term is used as the present participle of migrate.
Migrating is the process or action of moving from one place to another, typically on a seasonal basis, or the act of moving information or data from one system to another. It can also describe the ongoing movement of people, animals, or things across geographic areas. In grammar, the term is used as the present participle of migrate.
"The birds are migrating south for the winter."
"Our servers are migrating to a faster data center next month."
"She has been migrating her files to the cloud since last year."
Pronounce as /ˈmaɪɡˌreɪtɪŋ/ in US/UK/AU. The primary stress is on the first syllable 'mi' (/maɪ/). The second syllable begins with /ɡˌreɪ/ where /reɪ/ is the long a as in 'lay', followed by the final /tɪŋ/ with a clear 'ing'. Tip: keep the /ɡ/ firmly voiced, and don’t reposition the jaw too much between /ˈmaɪɡ/ and /ˌreɪt/. Audio reference: imagine saying “my-gra-ting” with a crisp, lifted first syllable. IPA: US/UK/AU: /ˈmaɪɡˌreɪtɪŋ/.
Common mistakes: 1) De-emphasizing the first syllable and flattening /maɪ/ into a quick /maɪ/; 2) Running /ˈmaɪɡ/ into /ˈmaɪɡri/ by inserting an extra syllable or misplacing the /ɡ/ release; 3) Mispronouncing /reɪt/ as /riːt/ or /rɪt/. Fix: clearly articulate /maɪ/, ensure the /ɡ/ is released before /ˌreɪt/, and keep /eɪ/ as a long vowel. Use a slight pause after /maɪɡ/ before /ˌreɪtɪŋ/ to maintain rhythm.
US: strong /ˈmaɪɡˌreɪtɪŋ/ with rhotic /r/ influence in linked phrases. UK: similar, but non-rhotic tendencies may soften /r/ in fast connected speech. AU: often with a slightly broader /aɪ/ diphthong and a less pronounced /t/ release in casual speech. In connected speech, you may hear /-tɪŋ/ reduced to /-tɪn/ or slightly flapped /-toŋ/ in rapid speech. Consistency of /ɡ/ release remains important across accents.
The challenge lies in the two-part syllable structure: the /maɪɡ/ onset with a clear diphthong /aɪ/ followed by a fresh onset /ɡ/ and the strong /ˌreɪt/ syllable. The /tɪŋ/ ending requires crisp articulation without devoicing or blending into /tŋ/. Maintaining the stress on the first syllable while preserving a smooth transition between the /ɡ/ and /reɪ/ is essential. Also, in rapid speech the /t/ can be unreleased, which alters the expected rhythm.
The word hinges on two crisp phonetic anchors: the initial /maɪ/ diphthong and the clear /ɡ/ release into /reɪt/. Your attention should be on maintaining the strength of the /ɡ/ release and avoiding an unnecessary linking of /ɡ/ with the following /r/ in rapid speech. Practice with deliberate, slow enunciation at first, then accelerate while keeping the two main tones distinct: the rise of /aɪ/ and the long /eɪ/ in /reɪt/.
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Migrating comes from the verb migrate, which derives from the Latin migrare, meaning to move or depart. The Latin root migrare combines mag- (to move) with -rare (to wander). The term entered English via Old French migrer and late Middle English, initially referencing animal movement and the seasonal travel of birds. Over time, migratus (moved, migrated) influenced usage to describe human movement, population shifts, and even technical transfers (data migration). The core sense is the act of changing location or status, whether geographic, organizational, or symbolic. First known uses in English appear in the 15th to 16th centuries in reference to animal migration. By the 18th–19th centuries, it expanded to human migration and later to computer data migration in the modern era, mirroring technological shifts. The word retains its spatial, directional connotation across domains, highlighting movement from one state to another. The semantic field now spans biology, geography, sociology, business, and IT, while preserving its core ‘motion from one place to another’ essence.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "migrating" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "migrating"
-ing sounds
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