/poʊsts/
Say it backPosts is the plural noun or verb form of post. As a noun, it refers to items published on social media or messages placed online; as a verb, it means to publish content. The word functions in everyday digital communication and in discussion of mail or pillars/posts in fencing or construction contexts. Pronunciation is a short, closed syllable with final s.
"She makes several posts about her trip each day."
"He posts a new update to the project board every hour."
"The wooden posts along the fence are rotted and need replacing."
In American English, say /poʊsts/ with a long 'o' sound as in 'go', then a crisp /s/ + /t/ cluster and the final /s/. The stress stays on the single syllable; open your mouth into a rounded vowel, then snap your tongue to release /t/ before the final /s/. In IPA: /poʊsts/. In many UK and AU varieties, the initial vowel lowers toward /ə/; you can also hear /pəʊsts/ with a light, unstressed initial, but still final /sts/.
Two frequent errors: 1) Losing the /t/ and running the word as /poʊs/ or /poʊst/. 2) De-voicing the final /s/ making it sound like /z/? or dragging the /t/ into /d/. Correct by clearly releasing /t/ with a brief aspirated stop before the final /s/, and keep the /s/ voiceless. Practice the sequence: /poʊ/ + /ts/ with a crisp stop and a clean sibilant.
US: /poʊsts/ with a strong rhotic initial vowel; UK/AU: /pəʊsts/ or /poʊsts/, often a shorter first vowel and less pronounced rhoticity; Australian speakers may reduce the initial vowel toward /ə/. The final /t/ can be flapped in quick speech in some American dialects, but usually remains a clear /t/ before /s/ in careful speech. In all, the cluster /ts/ is salient; keep it crisp.
The /ts/ cluster at the end is a common difficulty for non-native speakers. The /t/ must be released before the final /s/, which can merge or become a /dz/ or /z/ sound in some dialects. The preceding vowel must be precise: /oʊ/ in US or /əʊ/ in UK/AU. Practicing the brief stop and voiceless /s/ sequence helps separate the sounds clearly.
A key word-specific feature is the /ts/ cluster after the vowel. Ensure your tongue makes a clean release for the /t/ before the /s/. If you soften the /t/ into a glottal stop in casual speech, you risk a misheard word. Aim for a clean, articulated /t/ followed by a sharp /s/ to signal the plural verb form clearly.
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US: clear /poʊsts/ with emphasized diphthong; UK/AU: /pəʊsts/ with less rhoticity. • Vowel: US long /oʊ/ vs UK/AU /əʊ/. • Consonant: crisp /t/ before /s/; avoid flapping the /t/ in careful speech. • Rhythm: one syllable; keep pace with surrounding content. • Mouth positions: lips rounded for /oʊ/ or /əʊ/, tongue lightly touches alveolar ridge for /t/; sibilant for /s/.
Posts derives from the verb post, from Middle English post (n.) meaning a vertical support or stake, from Old French post, poste, ultimately from Latin postea ‘fence-post’, from postis ‘door-post’. The sense expansion to “messages published online” arose with postal and courier language and then with 20th-century bulletin-board and newspaper jargon: a post was a message placed publicly. In computing and internet culture, post evolved in the 1990s with online forums and later social media, adopting the modern sense of “an item published online.” The noun form for a message on a forum or social platform is widely attested by the late 20th century, while the sense of a physical stake remains standard nautical or construction terminology. First recorded uses in English demonstrate how the base notion of a vertical support or post was extended to metaphorical usage: a post as a message placed into a public space, now ubiquitous across digital communication. The trajectory shows a shift from tangible, material objects to intangible communications while retaining the original word form.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "posts" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "posts" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "posts"
-sts sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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