3 syllables: neu, ro, sis. Stress on ro.
/nʊˈɹoʊsəs/
Say it backA neurally based psychological condition characterized by excessive anxiety or obsession, typically without a severe organic cause. In everyday language, it refers to a milder, long-standing mental distress or preoccupation that affects behavior and emotions but is not psychotic.
"Her longstanding neurosis made it hard for her to leave the house before a scheduled appointment."
"The clinician discussed how his neurosis about germs influenced daily routines."
"After therapy, she learned strategies to cope with the neurosis rather than letting it drive her actions."
Pronounce as nyoo-ROH-sis for US and UK; in IPA: US /ˌnjuːˈroʊsɪs/, UK /ˌnjuːrəʊˈsɪs/, AU /ˌnjuːrəˈsɪs/. Primary stress on the second syllable ROH or RO. Start with a light 'nyoo' blend, then stress the second syllable with a long 'o' as in 'rose', and finish with a soft 'sis' like 'siss'.
Common errors: misplacing stress (say-neu-RO-sis?); mispronouncing the nearness of 'neu' as 'new' in American speech; dropping the second syllable vowel (ne-ROOT-sis). Correction: pronounce as nyoo-ROH-sis with clear second-syllable stress; keep the 'eu' as a long 'u' sound /juː/ and emphasize the 'o' in /roʊ/.
US: /ˌnjuːˈroʊsɪs/ features a rhotic, post-vocalic 'r' and a long 'o' in the stressed syllable. UK: /ˌnjuːrəʊˈsɪs/ with non-rhotic r and a diphthong in the second syllable. AU: /ˌnjuːrəˈsɪs/ similar to UK but with Australian vowel qualities; rhythm tends to be flatter overall and vowels may be less rounded.
Two main challenges: the initial /nju/ cluster can blend quickly into /njuː/; the middle vowel shift from /roʊ/ to /rəʊ/ differs by accent; the final /sɪs/ is short and light, often reduced in casual speech. Practice with slow, exaggerated linking: nyoo-ROH-sis; allow the /r/ or lack of it to guide vowel length.
Is the second syllable stressed in 'neurosis'? Yes—primary stress falls on the second syllable: nyu-ROH-sis (US) or nyu-rə-ʊ-sɪs (UK). The most salient cue is the strong /roʊ/ (US) or /rəʊ/ (UK) portion; ensure this syllable is lengthened and prominent while keeping the following /sɪs/ slightly lighter.
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neurosis comes from the French néurosis, from Greek neuron 'nerve' + -osis denoting a condition. In classical Greek medicine, 'neuron' referred to a nerve or sinew, and -osis indicated a state or process. The term entered medical vocabulary in the late 19th century, influenced by the rising fields of neurology and psychoanalysis. Early psychiatrists used neurosis to describe functional psychological disorders without evident structural brain disease, a distinction from psychosis. Over time, the concept shifted with Freud and other psychoanalytic writers, who framed neurosis around internal conflicts, anxiety, and repetitive behaviors rather than organic pathology. In modern usage, neurosis is often replaced by more specific diagnoses (e.g., generalized anxiety or obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders), but it remains common in clinical colloquialism and historical texts. First known uses appear in French clinical writings of the 1870s–1880s and English medical literature in the 1890s, reflecting broader debates about mind-brain function and the spectrum of mental distress.
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Words that rhyme with "neurosis"
-sis sounds
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