2 syllables: oth, ers. Stress on oth.
/ˈʌðɚz/
Say it backOthers refers to additional people or things beyond those already mentioned or known; it can function as a determiner, pronoun, or noun in discourse, signaling non-inclusion of the current referent. The word often appears in phrases like “the others,” “other people,” or “one of the others,” and carries a sense of contrast or variety within a group. Pronunciation remains a steady /ˈʌð.ɚz/ in many varieties, with stress on the first syllable and a voiced final /z/.
"There are two options: this option and the others."
"Some people like tea; others prefer coffee."
"She asked me to share mine and the others’ opinions."
Say /ˈʌð.ɚz/ (US) or /ˈʌð.əz/ (UK/AU) with primary stress on the first syllable. Start with the interdental /ð/ as in 'this', followed by a schwa or mid vowel in the second syllable, and finalize with a voiced /z/. In rapid speech, the second vowel may reduce to a near-schwa and the /z/ can elide slightly before pause. IPA helps you lock the single-stress pattern and the final voiced sibilant.
Common errors include mispronouncing /ð/ as /d/ or /t/, producing /ˈɔð.ərz/ or /ˈʌd.ɚz/. Another pitfall is de-emphasizing the /ð/ leading to a weak onset and an unclear /ˈʌ/; finally, many speakers reduce /ər/ to a schwa and merge /z/ with a voiceless s, saying /ˈʌð.ərs/. To correct, keep the interdental fricative clear, use a short but crisp /ɚ/ or /ə/ in the second syllable, and ensure vocal cord vibration for /z/.
In US English you’ll hear /ˈʌð.ɚz/ with rhoticity; in many UK varieties it can be /ˈʌð.əz/ or /ˈʌð.əz/ with a reduced /ə/ and a less overt rhotic /r/. Australian English tends toward /ˈʌð.əz/ or /ˈʌð.ɜːz/, with a slightly more centralized vowel in the first syllable and a softer /z/. All share the /ð/ at the start; the second syllable pronunciation is the key accent difference.
If you’re not used to interdental fricatives, /ð/ can be the sticking point; many learners substitute /d/ or /t/ or drop the initial fricative. The second syllable often has a weak /ɚ/ or /ə/ in fast speech, and the final /z/ can devoice or blend with preceding consonants in connected speech. The combination /ðɚ/ or /ðər/ requires precise tongue placement (tongue blade between teeth) and controlled voicing, especially in non-native phonetic environments.
A distinctive query angle is 'how to pronounce the word others with a soft r cluster?' The answer highlights the /ð/ interdental fricative, the weak second syllable vowel, and the final /z/. People often search for ‘how to say others like in phrases “the others” or possessives “others’ opinions.” Providing IPA, US/UK/AU variants, and common mistakes helps capture long-tail, intent-rich searches.
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The word others derives via Old English ōðer (in senses of other) from Proto-Germanic *aiþaraz, itself related to Old Norse annarr, Dutch ander, German anderer. The form others emerged in Middle English as a determiner/pronoun representing the non-specified remainder of a group; it functioned as the plural of other in many contexts, though dialectal distinctions blurred over time. The core idea—
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "others" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "others" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "others"
-ers sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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