Outage (noun) refers to a period when a service, power supply, or system is temporarily unavailable or not functioning. It typically implies an interruption that affects operations or access, often planned or unplanned, and may involve coordinated response measures. The term is common in utilities, IT, and broadcast contexts, signaling a temporary loss of service.
- You may overpronounce the second syllable, making it sound like a separate “out-age” with a prolonged vowel. Keep it short: /ɪ/ or a near-schwa in many speakers. - Mistake with the final consonant: insist on /dʒ/ as a hard ending; some Learners say /dʒɪ/ or /dʒeɪ/. Use the final /dʒ/ as in “judge” with a quick closure and release. - Slurring: in fast speech, the /t/ can disappear; keep a crisp /t/ release for accuracy. - In some non-native speech, the initial /aɪ/ becomes /a/ or /æ/. Practice the full /aʊ/ diphthong, starting with an open mouth and closing toward /ʊ/ without turning into /ɔ/.
- US: emphasize rhotic-like linking less; keep /ˈaʊtɪdʒ/ with a snappy /t/ release, and a clean /dʒ/ end. - UK: may have a slightly shorter /aʊ/ and more fronted /ɪ/; keep it tight and reduce vowel length in the second syllable. - AU: tends toward clear, crisp vowels with less vowel reduction; ensure the /ɪ/ is short and the /dʒ/ is precise. IPA references: US /ˈaʊtɪdʒ/, UK /ˈaʊtɪdʒ/, AU /ˈaʊtɪdʒ/.
"The city experienced a citywide power outage after the storm."
"During the outage, customers were unable to access online banking."
"The data center declared a scheduled outage to perform maintenance."
"The outage disrupted hospital operations, prompting emergency generation backups."
Outage derives from the mid-18th century English phrase outage, from out + age. The sense originally referred to a state of being out or missing, evolving in technical and industrial contexts to describe a period when a system, service, or supply is not available. The word combines the prefix out- (away, removed) with age (a noun suffix indicating a condition or state). In the telecommunications and utilities sectors, outage became specialized jargon for interruptions to service. It gradually broadened to general use, encompassing power, water, internet, and broadcast suspensions. The first known uses appear in administrative and engineering documents from the 1700s onward, with the modern sense crystallizing in the 20th century alongside infrastructure and digital service expansion. By the late 1900s and early 2000s, outage was a standard term in IT incident management, often paired with “scheduled” or “unscheduled” to distinguish planned maintenance from unexpected failures.
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Help others use "Outage" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "Outage" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Outage" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Outage"
-age sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Outage is pronounced /ˈaʊt.ɪdʒ/ in General American. The first syllable carries primary stress: OUT- as a diphthong /aʊ/ followed by a schwa-like /ɪ/ in the second syllable and a /dʒ/ as in “judge.” In British and Australian varieties, the /aʊ/ remains but the following vowel can be slightly lighter, as /ˈaʊtɪdʒ/. Visualization: mouth starts with a wide open /aʊ/ lip spread, then a quick /t/ closure, then /ɪ/ and the /dʒ/ at the end. Audio resources: refer to reputable pronunciation tutorials for the IPA audio cues.
Common errors include pronouncing the second syllable as a full “oo” in OUT-age (incorrect vowel height) and substituting /dʒ/ with /ʒ/ or /tʃ/. Correct by maintaining a short, unstressed /ɪ/ in the second syllable and ensuring the final consonant is a voiced affricate /dʒ/ as in “judge.” Keep the initial /aɪ/ diphthong compact and crisp, not drawn out. Practicing with minimal pairs like “out” vs “outage” helps fix the subtle /t/ release and /dʒ/ ending.
In US English, OUT-age uses a clear /aʊ/ diphthong and a pronounced /dʒ/ ending; the /ɪ/ in the second syllable tends to be a short, clipped vowel. UK and AU accents preserve /ˈaʊtɪdʒ/ but may have a slightly less prominent diphthong or a softer /t/ release in rapid speech. Rhotic influence is minimal in non-rhotic varieties, but in some US dialects, you may hear a subtle /ɹ/ coloring between syllables. Overall, the core is /ˈaʊtɪdʒ/ with minor vowel quality differences.
The challenge lies in the combination of the strong, clipped /t/ closure followed by the /ɪ/ vowel in a rapid sequence and the /dʒ/ affricate at the end. The /aʊ/ diphthong also requires precise tongue movement from low to high, which can vary by speaker. Mastery comes from coordinating a brief alveolar stop with a strong onset /aɪ/ glide, then transitioning smoothly into /dʒ/. IPA visualization: /ˈaʊtɪdʒ/.
Outage carries the stress on the first syllable, with an abrupt /t/ release attaching to the second syllable’s /ɪ/ and the /dʒ/ finish. The unique feature is the /aʊ/ diphthong in the first syllable, requiring a strong, rounded mouth shape at onset that quickly closes into /t/. The ending /dʒ/ is a common challenge because it blends /d/ and /ʒ/ and can be softened in fast speech. This combination sets outage apart from many two-syllable words.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "Outage"!
- Shadowing: listen to a native speaker saying outbreak or outage in context, and imitate the exact timing of the /aɪ/ onset, /t/ release, /ɪ/ vowel, and /dʒ/ ending. - Minimal pairs: outage vs out-age (practice the separation and cadence). - Rhythm practice: stress-timed rhythm; count syllables: OUT-age (1-2), emphasize the first syllable. - Intonation: use a falling intonation after the final syllable in declaratives; rising intonation for questions where appropriate. - Stress practice: place primary stress on the first syllable consistently; practice with slow tempo then increase tempo. - Recording: record yourself, compare with native models; analyze vowel duration and consonant crispness.
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