4 syllables: Mu, ti, la, ted. Stress on Mu.
MYOO-tuh-lay-tuhd
/ˈmjutəˌleɪtəd/
Mutilated is pronounced MYOO-tuh-lay-tuhd (/ˈmjutəˌleɪtəd/). It has four syllables (Mu-ti-la-ted), with the stress on "Mu". Mutilated is an adjective describing something that has been severely damaged or disfigured, typically through violent or drastic meaningfully altering its form or function. It implies extensive harm beyond mere damage, often resulting in loss of original integrity or usability. In everyday language, it conveys a strong sense of ruin or corruption of a object, body, or concept.
adjectiveMutilated is an adjective describing something that has been severely damaged or disfigured, typically through violent or drastic meaningfully altering its form or function. It implies extensive harm beyond mere damage, often resulting in loss of original integrity or usability. In everyday language, it conveys a strong sense of ruin or corruption of a object, body, or concept.
How to Pronounce Mutilated
"The old statue was heavily vandalized and mutilated, leaving it unrecognizable."
"After the storm, several trees were mutilated, their branches snapped and trunks scarred."
"The suspect admitted to mutilating the evidence to hinder the investigation."
Pronounce it as /ˈmjuː.tɪ.leɪ.tɪd/. Start with the 'myoo' sound in 'mood' but with a shorter 'u' vowel, then 'ti' as in 'tin' but lighter, 'lay' with a clear long a, and end with 'tid' as in 'tidded' but soft. Primary stress on the first syllable. If you’re listening, you’ll hear a three-beat rhythm before the final 'ed'.
Common issues include: misplacing the stress (putting it on the second syllable), mispronouncing the 'ti' as 'tee' instead of a shorter 'tuh' sound, and not finishing with a clear /d/ or with a weak /t/ that blends into the following vowel. Correct by maintaining primary stress on the first syllable, using a reduced 't' at the 'ti' position, and enunciating the final /d/ clearly.
In US, UK, and AU accents you’ll primarily hear the same IPA '/ˈmjuː.tɪ.leɪ.tɪd/' with slight vowel shifts: US may have a slightly closer /uː/ for the first syllable and a crisp /ɪ/ in the second, while UK and AU may exhibit a more centralized /ɪ/ and a less rhotacized final /ɪd/. The main differences are vowel quality and the connected speech timing, not the consonant inventory.
The difficulty comes from the multi-syllabic rhythm, the 'ju' diphthong shifting into a short /tɪ/ and then into a long /leɪ/ followed by a final /dɪd/. The sequence /ˈmjuː.tɪ.leɪ.tɪd/ requires precise tongue movement: rounded lips for /juː/, quick alveolar stop for /t/, and clear /d/ release. Practicing by syllables helps maintain the rhythm and accuracy.
Yes, the 'ti' sequence can be pronounced as /tɪ/ or /təl/ in rapid speech, so you’ll hear a light schwa or a reduced vowel before the /leɪ/ part. Focus on the clear /t/ release and avoid inserting a extra vowel between /t/ and /ɪ/ in careful speech. In some rapid contexts you may hear a tiny /ɾ/-like touch, but standard careful speech uses a distinct /t/.
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Mutilated originates from the verb mutilate, which comes from the Latin mutilatus, the perfect passive participle of mutilare. Mutilare itself is formed from mundus? not, but it is composed of mut-, a stem related to cut or cut away, and -lare a suffix forming verbs. The Latin mutilis or mutilus referred to maiming or curtailing; early Latin texts show mutilare meaning to cut off or prune. In Renaissance and early modern English, mutilate appeared in legal, medical, and theological texts to describe severe, permanent injury or distortion of the body or objects. By the 19th century, the term broadened to describe extensive damage to infrastructure, artifacts, or abstract concepts, conveying irreversible alteration. The word entered common usage in scientific and literary contexts, where it described things that had been damaged beyond simple repair or restoration. Today, mutilated carries strong negative connotations of ruin or corruption, often implying intent or violence behind the damage. Its usage spans physical, moral, and symbolic dimensions, maintaining a punchy, emphatic tone across genres.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Mutilated" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Mutilated" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Mutilated"
-ted sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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