3 syllables: Par, a, dox. Stress on Par.
PER-uh-dahks
/ˈpɛɹəˌdɑks/
Paradox is pronounced PER-uh-dahks (/ˈpɛɹəˌdɑks/). It has three syllables (Par-a-dox), with the stress on "Par". Paradox (n.) a statement or situation that combines contradictory features, yet reveals an underlying truth. It often challenges assumptions and invites deeper analysis, illustrating how things can appear impossible while yielding a valid insight. In discourse, paradox is used to provoke thought or highlight complexity rather than to mislead.
nounParadox (n.) a statement or situation that combines contradictory features, yet reveals an underlying truth. It often challenges assumptions and invites deeper analysis, illustrating how things can appear impossible while yielding a valid insight. In discourse, paradox is used to provoke thought or highlight complexity rather than to mislead.
How to Pronounce Paradox
"The philosopher presented a paradox: trying to escape a short leash can make you feel more free."
"Her calm, cheerful demeanor in the face of tragedy was a paradox that puzzled her friends."
"The paradox of choice suggests that too many options can reduce satisfaction rather than increase it."
Paradox is pronounced /ˈpærəˌdɒks/ in UK and US English, with a primary stress on the first syllable and a secondary lift on the third. The first syllable is /ˈpær/ (like 'pair' with an 'a' as in cat), the second is a schwa /ə/, and the final syllable ends with /dɒks/ (UK) or /dɑːks/ (US often closer to /dɒks/). In practical speech, emphasize the first syllable and keep the final /-dɒks/ crisp. Audio reference: listen to native speakers on Pronounce or YouGlish for variations. IPA: US /ˈpærəˌdɒks/, UK /ˈpærəˌdɒks/; AU /ˈpæɹəˌdɒks/.
Common errors: 1) Flattening /æ/ to a more neutral vowel in the first syllable; keep /æ/ as in 'cat' for accuracy. 2) Misplacing stress, pronouncing 'par-a-dox' with even stress; maintain primary stress on the first syllable /ˈpær/. 3) Overlengthening the second syllable, turning /ə/ into a louder vowel; keep a quick, neutral schwa. 4) Final /ks/ blending with preceding /d/ making /td/; ensure a clean /dɒks/ ending. Practice with minimal pairs and recording to confirm the three features: correct vowel quality, primary stress, and crisp final consonant.
US: /ˈpærəˌdɑːks/ with a broader /ɑː/ in the final syllable; non-rhotic tendencies are less pronounced in casual speech. UK: /ˈpærəˌdɒks/ with shorter /ɒ/ and a crisp /ks/; syllable timing tends to more even rhythm. AU: /ˈpæɹəˌdɒks/ with rhotic 'r' may be weak or vowel-reduced in educated speech; final vowel often closer to /ɒ/; non-rhotic tendencies common in Australian English still present in careful speech. Overall, the main difference is vowel quality in the final syllable and the strength of rhoticity; US often uses /ɑː/ or /ɒ/ in final, UK closer to /ɒ/, AU varies.
It's difficult due to the consonant cluster at the end /dɒks/ or /dɑːks/, requiring a crisp release before the /ks/; and the two-syllable, stress pattern with a lighter middle vowel /ə/ that can blur; the shift from stress on the first syllable to the near-dawning secondary stress on the third can be subtle in fast speech. Additionally, regional vowel differences in /æ/ vs /æɪ/ and /ɒ/ make the middle and final vowels tricky; practice with IPA and minimal pairs to stabilize the structure.
The answer is the strong initial syllable /ˈpær/ sets primary stress; the secondary weight on the third syllable emerges as a gentle pitch rise and lengthened vowel on /ˌdɒks/ in careful speech; in fast speech you may hear the middle syllable reduced and the final /dɒks/ compressed, but the first syllable still carries the most prominence.
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Paradox comes from the late Latin paradoxus, from the Greek paradoxos, meaning 'contrary to expectation' or 'not contrary to the opinion' — paradoxos itself from para- 'beyond, contrary' + doxa 'opinion, belief.' The root doxa traces to Proto-Indo-European *dʰek-/*dheh- meaning 'to seem, to think,' reflecting Roman and Greek puzzles that contradicted common belief. In Classical Greek literature, paradoxas referred to statements that seemed against conventional wisdom but contained a hidden truth. The term entered English in the 17th century with philosophers using it to describe philosophical or logical propositions that seem self-contradictory yet reveal a deeper truth. Over time, paradox broadened to describe situations that are counterintuitive or self-contradictory in everyday language, including literary devices and mathematical paradoxes. The word has retained its sense of intellectual challenge, often signaling a deliberate tension between appearance and underlying reality.
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Words that rhyme with "Paradox"
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