2 syllables: out, breaks. Stress on out.
OWT-brayks
/ˈaʊtˌbɹeɪks/
outbreaks is pronounced OWT-brayks (/ˈaʊtˌbɹeɪks/). It has two syllables (out-breaks), with the stress on "out". Outbreaks refers to sudden starts or occurrences of something, typically illness or conflict, that spread quickly within a population. It denotes a rapid, often unexpected emergence of cases or events, prompting response or containment measures. The term is used in public health, journalism, and policy discussions to describe episodes that require attention and action.
Outbreaks refers to sudden starts or occurrences of something, typically illness or conflict, that spread quickly within a population. It denotes a rapid, often unexpected emergence of cases or events, prompting response or containment measures. The term is used in public health, journalism, and policy discussions to describe episodes that require attention and action.
- Common phonetic challenge: correctly producing the /aʊ/ diphthong without turning it into a simple /a/ or /ɔ/. Practice by starting with the mouth open and gliding to a higher back vowel; avoid flattening the diphthong. - Consonant cluster challenge: /t/ followed by /br/ can merge if you’re speaking quickly; ensure a light but audible release on /t/ and a clean onset to /br/. - Final s: Don’t voice the final /s/ as /z/. Keep voiceless sibilant to preserve the plural. - Ice-breakers for practice: put the word in a sentence: “Outbreaks have spread quickly.” Repeat, focusing on the primary stress and smooth /t/ release.
"The city recorded several outbreaks of flu this winter."
"Experts warned that outbreaks could escalate if vaccination rates stay low."
"The company faced outbreaks of a bug in its software during the alpha phase."
Pronounce as /ˈaʊtˌbreɪks/. Stress on the first syllable OUT, followed by a light secondary stress on the second syllable -breɪks. The initial sounds are a diphthong /aʊ/ followed by /t/ and /breɪks/ with /breɪk/ and final /s/. Mouth position: start with a wide mouth for /aʊ/, tap the /t/ lightly, then glide into /breɪks/ with a relaxed jaw; end with a voiceless /s/.
Two common errors are misplacing stress and mispronouncing the /aʊ/ diphthong as a simple /a/ or /ɔ/. Also, speakers may voice the final /s/ too loudly, turning it into a z-sound. Correct by keeping primary stress on OUT and pronouncing /aʊ/ as a clear diphthong, not a rigid /a/. End with a crisp /s/ to maintain plural authenticity.
US/UK/AU share /ˈaʊtˌbreɪks/, but rhoticity affects surrounding vowels in connected speech. In some US accents you may hear a slightly stronger /t/ release, while UK listeners might notice a more clipped /t/ and a marginally reduced /ɪ/ in adjacent words. Australian speech tends to be more centralized and may slightly soften vowels; keep the /aɪ/ to /aʊ/ transition clear.
Difficulties come from the two-syllable rhythm with a clear primary stress, the /aʊ/ diphthong, and the fast transition into /breɪks/ followed by the voiceless /s/. The cluster /t/ + /br/ can be tricky in rapid speech, and avoiding an intrusive vowel between /t/ and /b/ is essential. Practice by isolating /aʊt/ then /breɪks/ to ensure smooth, continuous flow.
The combination of a common plural suffix with a two-part primary stress pattern is a frequent source of mispronunciation. Speakers often misplace the break between the /t/ and /br/ sequences or blur the /t/ release into the /b/ onset. Focusing on a crisp /t/ release and then a distinct /br/ onset helps maintain accuracy in dynamic speech.
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- US: Rhotic tendency influences surrounding vowels; ensure the /r/ isn’t introducing an extra vowel after /r/ in rapid speech. - UK: Slightly more clipped /t/ and shorter vowels; keep /aʊ/ distinct and prevent glottalization of /t/. - AU: Tends to be non-rhotic with subtle vowel raising in /ɪ/ near /br/ sequences; maintain a clean /b/ onset. - IPA pointers: /ˈaʊtˌbreɪks/ in all three; ensure you don’t reduce /breɪ/ to /beɪ/; keep full diphthong /eɪ/. - General: avoid linking to a vowel after the final /s/ in isolation; do it only when following a vowel in connected speech.
Outbreaks is formed by the combination of outbreak and the plural suffix -s. The noun outbreak traces back to Middle English, with outbreak indicating the act of breaking out, literally a break or eruption from a prior state. The component out- means “away, forth” and the break is tied to Old English breakan, meaning to crack or burst. Over time, outbreak developed a specialized sense in medicine and epidemiology as an event where diseases, pests, or other phenomena emerge rapidly from a previously contained state. The modern usage appears in the 19th and 20th centuries with increasing public health discourse around infectious diseases and sudden events. The plural form outbreaks is simply the plural of outbreak, used when referring to multiple instances of such events. The semantic expansion to “sudden onset” in non-medical contexts (e.g., riots or scandals) reflects metaphorical extension of the term as a breach or eruption into a new state. Contemporary usage often pairs with adjectives like sudden, rapid, or localized, underscoring the timing and scale of the event.
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Words that rhyme with "outbreaks"
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