One syllable: Praise.
prayz
/pɹeɪz/
Praise is pronounced prayz (/pɹeɪz/). It has one syllable (Praise), with the stress on "Praise". Praise is a noun meaning the expression of approval, admiration, or gratitude directed toward a person, thing, or action. It can denote formal commendation or informal approbation, and is often used in religious, ceremonial, or celebratory contexts. The term surfaces in evaluative speech and discourse, highlighting positive appraisal or recognition of merit.
nounPraise is a noun meaning the expression of approval, admiration, or gratitude directed toward a person, thing, or action. It can denote formal commendation or informal approbation, and is often used in religious, ceremonial, or celebratory contexts. The term surfaces in evaluative speech and discourse, highlighting positive appraisal or recognition of merit.
- You often insert an extra vowel between the /p/ and /r/ in /preɪz/, hearing something like /prə-eɪz/. Fix by chaining /p/ directly into /r/ with a smooth onset transition. - You over-articulate the /r/ or make it a rolled sound. Practice with a light, almost silent /r/ or a weak American rhotic approach so it blends into the /eɪ/. - The diphthong /eɪ/ can be shortened or mispronounced as a plain /e/ or as /eɪz/ with a trailing vowel. Focus on the glide from /e/ to /ɪ/ while ending with /z/; don’t insert an extra syllable. - In connected speech, you may reduce the vowel length before /z/ in rapid speech. Maintain a crisp /eɪ/ before the final /z/ even when the word is followed by another consonant in rapid speech.
How to Pronounce Praise
"The coach praised the team for their hard work after the game."
"In her speech, she offered praise for the volunteers’ dedication."
"The award praised the scientist’s breakthroughs in renewable energy."
Pronounce as /preɪz/ with a single stressed syllable. Start with /pr/ as a consonant blend, then the long diphthong /eɪ/ like the vowel in “day,” and end with a voiced /z/. Keep the jaw relaxed, lips slightly rounded for the /eɪ/, and finish with a crisp /z/. In casual connected speech, the vowel may be slightly shorter before /z/. Audio reference: think of saying ‘pre’ + ‘z’ quickly, like “prays” without the y-sound. IPA for US/UK/AU is /preɪz/ in all considerable accents.
Common errors include pronouncing /preɪ/ as a pure /eɪ/ with a long pause before /z/, or misplacing the /r/ by substituting a rolled or tapped R. Some learners overly emphasize the final /z/ and elongate it. To correct: maintain the /r/ as a quick, light onset before /eɪ/, keep the diphthong as a single glide from /e/ to /ɪ/ and deliver a clean, voiced /z/ without voiceless fricative confusion. Practice with minimal pairs like ‘prize’ to distinguish the vowel differences.
In US/UK/AU, praise remains /preɪz/ with a rhotic U.S. accent often not strong 'r' after the /p/; UK tends toward non-rhoticity with the /r/ not pronounced unless linking, but the word itself is not rhotic. Vowel quality slightly shifts: US often has a slightly higher tongue position in the /eɪ/ glide, UK may have a slightly lower front vowel, and AU is similar to UK but with vowel shifts specific to Australian English. The final /z/ remains voiced in all three. Be mindful of linking: in sentences, praise may be followed by a vowel, producing a weak /z/ or linking /z/.
The difficulty lies in producing the short but crisp diphthong /eɪ/ smoothly followed by a voiced consonant /z/. Learners often vocalize the /eɪ/ as a pure /e/ or misarticulate the /z/ as /s/. The transition from the vowel to the fricative requires a precise tongue position and voicing. Also, keeping the /p/ burst and the /r/ blend clean without excess aspiration can be challenging for speakers from languages without final sibilants.
Unique to this word is that the ending /z/ is voiced and short, not an /s/ or /əz/. Some learners anticipate a longer final vowel or add an extra vowel between /ɪ/ and /z/. Keep the mouth ready for a quick stop before the /r/? Not in this word; instead, the /p/ is a stand-alone onset, not followed by any letter before /r/? The sequence is /p r eɪ z/ with no intrusive vowel.
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- US: rhotics often present lightly; ensure the /r/ immediately precedes the /eɪ/ in the blend; keep /eɪ/ a standard rising diphthong and end with a voiced /z/. - UK: non-rhotic tendency means the /r/ is not pronounced unless linking; focus on: /p/ + /reɪ/ with clear lips and a crisp /z/ at the end; allow a subtle non-rhotic environment before any following vowel. - AU: similar to UK with slight vowel flattening; keep the /eɪ/ as a bright diphthong but relax the jaw; ensure the /z/ remains voiced. IPA references: /preɪz/ in all three; practice linking when followed by a vowel.”,
Praise derives from the Old French palabras/plaisir? Actually, the etymology: The word praise comes from Middle English preisen, from Old French priser, from Latin pretiare ‘to prize, value’, from pretium ‘price, value.’ The semantic path shifted from ‘to value’ to ‘to commend’ or ‘applaud.’ In ME and early modern English, praise referred broadly to honor and price given; by 14th- to 16th-century usage, it became more about expression of approval or worship. The root is linked to the idea of assigning value (price) to something and thereby commending its worth. By the 15th century, it also carried religious overtone, especially in hymns and liturgy, where praise referred to honoring God. Over time, the word broadened to social contexts (praising a person, a performance, or an achievement) while retaining its core sense of valuing and approving. The pronunciation settled into /preɪz/ in English, with the final /z/ voiced fricative, and the initial /pr/ cluster, which can be challenging for learners depending on their native phonology.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Praise" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Praise"
-aze sounds
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