meye-AH-pik
/maɪˈɑpɪk/
Myopic is pronounced meye-AH-pik (/maɪˈɑpɪk/). Myopic is an adjective describing a narrow or short-sighted view, often used metaphorically to criticize limited thinking. It can also refer to physically nearsightedness. In discourse, it signals an emphasis on immediate concerns over long-term consequences. The term carries a mildly negative or evaluative tone and is common in academic, policy, and professional critique.
adjectiveMyopic is an adjective describing a narrow or short-sighted view, often used metaphorically to criticize limited thinking. It can also refer to physically nearsightedness. In discourse, it signals an emphasis on immediate concerns over long-term consequences. The term carries a mildly negative or evaluative tone and is common in academic, policy, and professional critique.
- ocus on the stressed /ˈɒ/ vowel: many learners flatten it to a schwa or lengthen it into /ˈæɒ/; keep it compact and short. - inal cluster clarity: ensure the /p/ is released cleanly before /ɪ/; avoid post-glottalization or merging with /k/. - ronting of /ɪ/ before /k/ can blur the ending; keep the vowel short and relaxed. - inal consonant strength: some learners soften /k/ or add a light /t/; maintain a crisp, aspirated release, then immediate stop. - inal vowel consonant blending: avoid running /ɪ/ into /k/; separate them clearly to avoid a mispronounced 'myop-ick' as 'myop-ik'.
How to Pronounce Myopic
"Her myopic focus on quarterly profits ignored broader societal impacts."
"The committee took a myopic approach to budgeting, neglecting long-term sustainability."
"In discussions about climate policy, such myopic thinking can hinder comprehensive solutions."
You say my-OP-ic, with primary stress on the second syllable. In IPA: US/UK/AU /maɪˈɒpɪk/. Start with the /m/ sound, glide into /aɪ/ as in 'my,' then the stressed /ɒ/ like 'cot' in non-rhotic accents, followed by /p/ and a soft /ɪ/ and final /k/. Mouth: lips neutral-to-relaxed for /m/; the /aɪ/ is a high-to-mid tongue position; open around /ɒ/ for the stressed vowel with slight jaw drop, then stop consonant /p/ followed quickly by /ɪ/ and /k/. A quick tip: don’t turn the /ɒ/ into /ɔː/; keep it short and crisp to land the accent on -OP-.
Common errors: treating the second syllable as a schwa (my-OP-ik with an unstressed -ik); misplacing stress on the first syllable (MY-op-ik); softening the final /k/ into a /t/ or not releasing the final /k/ clearly. Correction: emphasize the second syllable with /ˈɒ/ and keep /pɪk/ as a sharp, clipped sequence; ensure /m/ is nasalized before /aɪ/ and avoid turning /ɪk/ into /ɪk/ with extra vowel length. Practice by saying ma-OP-ic in a quick, deliberate rise in pitch on OP and crisp final /k/.
US/UK/AU share the same core: /maɪˈɒpɪk/. Differences are subtle: rhotic accents may keep a slight r-color after the vowel in connected speech, though not in this word. Non-rhotic accents tend to reduce r-coloring; vowel quality of /ɒ/ may shift slightly toward /ɒː/ in some UK dialects. Australians often have a more centralized /ɒ/ and may reduce the /ɪ/ slightly before k. Overall, the primary stress remains on OP; non-rhotic varieties may link the /ɒ/ with surrounding vowels differently in fast speech.
The difficulty lies in the exact placement and duration of the stressed /ɒ/ and the immediate sequence /pɪk/. The /ɪ/ before /k/ is short, not a full vowel, and the /p/ must be released clearly without an extra aspiration that makes it sound like /pɪk/ is prolonged. Also, the combination /ɪk/ after a stressed open vowel can coarticulate, causing slurring if not enunciated. Practicing with slow tempo helps you land the stress and crisp final consonant.
A unique feature is the strong, tightly closed stressed /ɒ/ in the second syllable. Ensure the mouth opens into /ɒ/ properly and that the following /p/ is a firm, not breathy release. Some speakers mistakenly turn /ɒ/ into /ɔː/ or slide into a drawl before /p/. Focus on keeping a tight jaw for the /p/ release and finishing with a clean /ɪk/ to prevent an added vowel sound.
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- US: Non-rhotic or rhotic? Generally rhotic; you may hear a slight rhotic coloring after vowels in connected speech; keep the /ɒ/ short and sharp, then a brisk /pɪk/. - UK: Often more clipped vowels; keep /ɒ/ compact, lips rounded; the /ɪ/ before /k/ should be short and unstressed. - AU: Slightly flatter vowel height; /ɒ/ can be a mid-open back vowel; maintain the /p/ release without adding extra vowel length. Across all: stress on OP, avoid vowel lengthening, maintain a crisp final /k/.
Myopic derives from the Greek word myops, meaning 'nearsighted' (myeops), from myein 'to shut, close' and ops 'eye.' In Classical Greek, myops described literally nearsighted vision. The term entered English via medical and philosophical discourse, evolving from the literal sense of poor eyesight to a metaphor for limited perspective. In early modern English, it was used in medical texts to describe ocular conditions and in rhetorical contexts to critique shortsighted policy or argument. By the 19th and 20th centuries, myopic broadened to figurative uses in essays, political critique, and literary criticism. It retains connotations of short-term thinking and failure to consider longer-term consequences. First known use in English dates to the 17th century, with documentation in medical dictionaries expanding the metaphorical domain in the 1800s.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Myopic" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Myopic"
-pic sounds
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