4 syllables: Ob, li, vi, ous. Stress on li.
uh-BLIV-ee-uhs
/əˈblɪviəs/
Oblivious is pronounced uh-BLIV-ee-uhs (/əˈblɪviəs/). It has four syllables (Ob-li-vi-ous), with the stress on "li". Oblivious is an adjective describing someone who is unaware or indifferent to what is happening around them. It implies a notable lack of awareness, attention, or concern, often despite obvious cues. The word conveys a passive state of not noticing, rather than intentional ignorance.
adjectiveOblivious is an adjective describing someone who is unaware or indifferent to what is happening around them. It implies a notable lack of awareness, attention, or concern, often despite obvious cues. The word conveys a passive state of not noticing, rather than intentional ignorance.
"- She walked past the argument, seemingly oblivious to the heated discussion just a few feet away."
"- The driver was oblivious to the pedestrians, causing a near-miss at the crosswalk."
"- He seemed oblivious to the rain, continuing to read as the umbrella remained closed."
US/UK pronunciation centers on the stressed syllable: /ˌɑːˈblɪviəs/ (US) or /ˌɒbˈlɪviəs/ (UK); the primary stress is on the second syllable 'li' as in /ˈblɪ/. Break it as o-bLI-vi-ous. The initial vowel can be /ɒ/ or /ɑː/ depending on accent; the final /əs/ is reduced in fast speech to /əs/. Use a light /v/ before the /i/ for a smooth transition. For Australian: /ˌɒːˈblɪviəs/ with a more rounded vowel in the first syllable and non-rhoticity.
Common errors: (1) Stress misplacement, saying o-BLI-vi-ous with primary stress on the first syllable; (2) Vowel mismatch in the first syllable, using /ə/ or /ɒ/ inconsistently; (3) Merging the /li/ into /laɪ/ or slurring the /vi/ into /viə/. Correct by: placing main stress on the second syllable: /ˌɒbˈlɪviəs/; keeping /l/ clear before /ɪ/; articulating /v/ distinctly before /i/; and finishing with a tight /əs/ or a soft /əs/ in connected speech.
US tends to /ˌɑːˈblɪviəs/ with rhotic /ɹ/ in some speakers inside words and clear /ˈli/; UK often features /ˌɒbˈlɪviəs/ with non-rhoticity and a flatter /ɒ/; Australian tends to a more centralized /ˌɒblɪˈviəs/ or /ˌɒːˈblɪviəs/ with less distinct r-sounds and a broader diphthong in /ɒ/ and /ɪ/ vowels. Across all, the second syllable carries primary stress; the final /əs/ reduces in rapid speech.
Key challenges: (1) Primary stress on the second syllable requires precise timing; (2) The sequence /blɪ/ involves blending a consonant cluster with a short lax vowel, which can lead to either /blɪviəs/ or /blɪʊviəs/ mispronunciations; (3) Final /əs/ can be either a reduced schwa or a quick /əs/ depending on speed; (4) US vs UK vowel shifts in /ɒ/ vs /ɑː/ can trip non-native speakers. Focus on keeping /blɪ/ distinct and spreading the /ɪ/ evenly.
A unique feature is the tongue position for /l/ and /v/ in close proximity: you should lift the tip of the tongue to touch the alveolar ridge for /l/ while keeping a firm but gentle contact for /v/ with the bottom lip; avoid coarticulating /l/ into /v/. Also, the sequence /ɪv/ requires a light, rapid transition from the vowel to the voiced labiodental fricative, maintaining smooth gliding into the final /əs/.
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- US: rhoticity can affect pronunciation of the /r/ in linked phrases, but not in oblivious itself; ensure the /ɹ/ is not inserted if not ámbito. - UK: non-rhotic; ensure /r/ absence; the first vowel /ɒ/ is rounded, and the second vowel /ɪ/ is short. - AU: often vowel merging; try to maintain /ɒ/ in first syllable and a crisp /ɪ/ before /viː/ depending on speaker. - IPA anchors: /ˌɒbˈlɪviəs/ (UK), /ˌɑːˈblɪviəs/ (US), /ˌɒblɪˈviːəs/ (AU). - Mouth positions: /ɒ/ or /ɑː/ with rounded lips in initial; /l/ with neutral tongue; /ɪ/ short with a relaxed jaw; /v/ with top teeth on bottom lip; final /əs/ relaxed jaw and a quick then neutral stop.” ,
Oblivious comes from the Latin oblit-, root of oblivisci, meaning 'to forget' or 'to neglect' (ob- + livēre, from lit- ‘to enamor’ in some senses, but primarily linked to forgetting in Late Latin). The form oblite+ous emerged in Latinized English to describe states of forgetfulness or not noticing. Through Old French and Middle English transmissions, the word retained its core sense of a person who forgets or is not mindful of surrounding circumstances. In the 16th–17th centuries, oblivious began to take on a more psychological dimension: not merely forgetting, but actively ignoring or being uninterested in what is present. By the 19th century, it commonly described a lack of perception in social or perceptual contexts, extended to everyday situations. Today, oblivious is widely used to portray someone who, whether by distraction, indifference, or inattention, does not register notable cues or events around them. The term retains its etymological link to forgetting, but in contemporary usage it emphasizes perceptual absence rather than memory alone — a stance that can be temporary or habitual depending on context.
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Words that rhyme with "Oblivious"
-ous sounds
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