4 syllables: nom, i, na, tions. Stress on na.
/ˌnɑməˈneɪʃənz/
Say it backNominations refer to the act of proposing or naming someone for a position, award, or honor. It can also denote a list of proposed candidates. In governance or committees, nominations are typically formal, sometimes documented, and followed by a selection or voting process. The term emphasizes the act of putting forward individuals for consideration.
"The nominations for the best actor category were announced last week."
"She received several nominations before she finally won the award."
"The committee opened the nominations window to gather potential candidates."
Say /ˌnɒm.ɪˈneɪ.ʃənz/ in British English or /ˌnɑː.məˈneɪ.ʃənz/ in American English, with primary stress on the third syllable (neɪ). Start with /n/ then /ɒ/ or /ɑ/ in the first syllable, a quick /m/ followed by a reduced /ɪ/ in the second syllable, stressed /neɪ/ in the third, then /ʃənz/. You’ll often hear a light secondary stress on the fourth syllable in natural speech. For accurate guidance, listen to native speech on Pronounce or Forvo.
Two main errors: over-syllabicating the second syllable leading to /ˌnɒ.mɪˈneɪ.ʃənz/ with uneven rhythm, and misplacing primary stress on the fourth syllable. Correct by keeping three clear segments: /ˌnɒm.ɪ/ as a quick unstressed pair, then /ˈneɪ/ as the strong vowel, and /ʃənz/ as a light ending. Practice linking /m/ to /ɪ/ and avoid adding extra vowels between /ɪ/ and /neɪ/.
In US English you’ll often hear /ˌnɑː.məˈneɪ.ʃənz/ with a rhotacized /ɹ/ ally? Actually US rhoticity affects the /r/ only in rhotic dialects; /nɔm.əˈneɪ.ʃənz/ is common with a schwa-like /ə/ in the second syllable. UK typically /ˌnɒ.mɪˈneɪ.ʃənz/ with short /ɒ/ and noticeable non-rhoticity; AU follows US/UK patterns but with broader vowel quality and a slightly longer final /ənz/. The primary stress remains on the third syllable across accents.
Because it combines a sequence of liquids and affricates: /n/ + /m/ + /ɪ/ + /neɪ/ + /ʃənz/ with a stressed long vowel in /neɪ/. The mid syllable can reduce to a schwa, which shifts the perceived rhythm. Also, the cluster /nm/ after /o/ can tempt a subtle vowel insertion. Focus on maintaining a crisp /m/ right before /ɪ/ and keeping the /neɪ/ nucleus prominent.
Note the three-syllable core with a primary stress on the third syllable: nom-ih-NAY-shuhnz; the /ɲ/ sound is not there, but the /n/ and /m/ sequencing requires precise lip closure. The key is to keep /neɪ/ clearly pronounced and not reduce it to /næ/ or /niː/. Attention to the /ʃənz/ ending, ensuring a light, not harsh, 'sh' plus a voiced 'z' ending.
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Nominations comes from the verb nominate, which traces to Latin nominate, from nominare meaning to name or designate. The Latin root nomin- derives from nomen, meaning name. The English form nominate appeared by the 15th century with the sense of naming or proposing. The noun nomination emerged in Middle English to signify the act of proposing a candidate. Over time, the word broadened to include both the list or process of proposing individuals for positions, honors, or roles within institutions, committees, or award bodies. Its usage reflects formal or procedural contexts where individuals are slated for consideration, rather than immediate appointment. The plural form nominations indicates multiple proposals or candidates. In modern usage, nominations are often accompanied by documentation, deliberation, and subsequent stages such as voting or selection, making it a key term in governance, awards, and organizational processes. First known use as a noun in English appears in the 16th–17th centuries, paralleling other nomination-related phrases that entered legal and administrative language during bureaucratic expansions of that era.
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Words that rhyme with "nominations"
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