2 syllables: Mut, tered. Stress on Mut.
MUHT-urd
/ˈmʌtɚd/
Muttered is pronounced MUHT-urd (/ˈmʌtɚd/). It has two syllables (Mut-tered), with the stress on "Mut". Muttered is the past tense of mutter, meaning to say something in a low, barely audible voice, often expressing annoyance or uncertainty. It implies speech that is not clearly enunciated, blending consonants and vowels into a subdued murmur. Used in narrative contexts to convey hidden or private articulation rather than public, clear speech.
verbMuttered is the past tense of mutter, meaning to say something in a low, barely audible voice, often expressing annoyance or uncertainty. It implies speech that is not clearly enunciated, blending consonants and vowels into a subdued murmur. Used in narrative contexts to convey hidden or private articulation rather than public, clear speech.
"She muttered a quick apology under her breath as he passed by."
"He muttered something about needing to reschedule, but the words were too soft to hear."
"The crowd grew louder, and I could only mutter a few phrases in response."
Pronounce as /ˈmʌ tərd/ in US, where the second syllable features a schwa and a rhotic ending is pronounced as /ərd/. In UK, it's typically /ˈmʌtəd/, with a lighter rhotic influence and the final /d/ clearly released. Australian English tends to be /ˈmʌtəd/ with a clipped, fronted vowel in the first syllable and a softer /d/ release. Emphasize the first syllable: MUT-tered, with a quick, almost inaudible second syllable in fluent speech.
Common mistakes include over-articulating the second syllable, saying /ˈmʌtəːɹd/ with an audible /ɹ/ in non-rhotic dialects, or turning /t/ into a hard /d/ in rapid speech. Another pitfall is reducing the /t/ into a flap in rapid pronunciation, producing /ˈmʌɾəd/. Correct by keeping the /t/ as a clean stop, and use a light, quick schwa in the second syllable. Practice with minimal pairs to isolate the second syllable: MUT-tered vs MOO-tered (change in quality).
US: strong first syllable with /ˈmʌtərd/ and rhotic /r/ before the ending. UK: /ˈmʌtəd/ with weaker rhoticity, more centralized second vowel, and a shorter or sometimes silent /r/. AU: /ˈmʌtə(d)/ with a flatter vowel quality and a softer /d/, sometimes linking to the following word. Across accents, the key differences are vowel quality of the second syllable and the realization of the /r/ sound in American and some UK variants.
The difficulty comes from the vowel reduction in the second syllable and the potential subtle /r/ or lack thereof, depending on dialect. Maintaining a light, clipped second syllable while keeping the /t/ as a precise stop can be challenging in fast speech. Also, the final /d/ can be devoiced or blended in some dialects. Focus on keeping a short, neutral schwa in the second syllable and cleanly releasing /t/ before the /ər/ or /ə/ depending on the accent.
Yes. The primary stress is on the first syllable: MUT-tered. The ending often reduces to a weak vowel with a light /d/ release in many dialects. The t is typically a clear alveolar stop, not a flap in careful speech, to avoid sounding like 'mudd ered'. Keeping the /t/ crisp and the second syllable phonetically weaker helps preserve the intended meaning of hushed or whispered articulation.
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Muttered derives from the verb mutter, from Old English muttrian or motrian, with roots in Proto-Germanic muttra- meaning to murmur. The semantic core centers on speaking softly and indistinctly. Through Middle English, mutter acquired the nuance of speaking so quietly that one’s words blend with ambient sounds, often signaling discontent or secrecy. The shift from general speech to a subdued, private utterance stabilized in Early Modern English, where littered texts and dialogues often used mutter to convey a character’s hedged or emotionally loaded speech. The form -ed indicates past tense in standard English conjugation, aligning with similar monosyllabic verbs where the vowel remains stable and the final -ed carries the regular pronunciation. First known written examples appear in 14th–15th century texts, with evolving usage in literature to depict soft, indecisive, or resentful speech. Over time, muttered has become a common narration cue for under-the-breath remarks, often signaling inner conflict or reluctance to voice thoughts loudly.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Muttered" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Muttered" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Muttered"
-red sounds
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