rangks
/ɹæŋks/
ranks is pronounced rangks (/ɹæŋks/). Ranks is a noun or verb form meaning a position within a hierarchy or the act of placing items in order. In pronunciation terms, it features a single stressed syllable with a final /s/ sibilant, producing a concise, clipped onset /r/ followed by the vowel /æ/ (in many dialects) and the final /ŋk/ sound cluster when pronounced as part of “ranked” conjugations. The word’s core sound is brief, with a smooth, voiceless final fricative or stop depending on context.
Ranks is a noun or verb form meaning a position within a hierarchy or the act of placing items in order. In pronunciation terms, it features a single stressed syllable with a final /s/ sibilant, producing a concise, clipped onset /r/ followed by the vowel /æ/ (in many dialects) and the final /ŋk/ sound cluster when pronounced as part of “ranked” conjugations. The word’s core sound is brief, with a smooth, voiceless final fricative or stop depending on context.
"- He moved up the ranks after years of dedicated service."
"- The ranks of the army were reorganized."
"- The list ranks choices by quality."
Pronounce as /ræŋks/. Start with a short, open front unrounded vowel /æ/ as in “cat,” then an /ŋ/ velar nasal before the /k/ stop; the /s/ is voiceless. The stress is on the single syllable. In casual speech, the vowel may be slightly reduced to an /æ/ with a quicker transition to /ŋ/. Visualize: /r/ with a slight flap, then /æ/ + /ŋk/ + /s/.
Common errors: (1) Pronouncing it as /reɪŋks/ with a long /eɪ/ like “rays”—instead, use the short /æ/. (2) Slurring the /ŋk/ cluster into /ŋk/ as /ŋt/ or dropping the /ŋ/ slightly; ensure a clear velar nasal to the /k/. (3) Misplacing /r/ as a rolled or tapped sound; keep it lightly aspirated and not emphasized. Corrections: practice with a minimal pair like /ræŋks/ vs /reɪŋks/, and drill the /ŋk/ cluster with a consonant-vowel transition to anchor the timing.
In US, UK, and AU, the pronunciation remains /ræŋks/ for the base form, but vowel length and rhoticity influence surrounding words. US and AU accents are rhotic and articulate /r/ clearly before vowels? Actually, in ranks it’s a single syllable; the key is the /æ/ quality. UK non-rhotic tendencies don’t alter this word’s core since /r/ appears at start; the primary variation is the following vowel quality adjacent to the /æ/. In practice, you’ll hear slight differences in the following vowels and the speed of enunciation in UK/US/AU contexts.
Because of the dense consonant cluster /ŋks/ after the short /æ/ vowel and the quick transition from vowel to velar nasal to /k/ and finally /s/. The tongue must move rapidly from the back of the mouth to a velar position for /ŋ/ and then to /k/, with precise timing to avoid sounding like /ræŋks/ or /ræŋks/. Mastery comes from drills that lock the timing of /æ/ → /ŋ/ → /k/ → /s/ with minimal vowel length. IPA reference: /ræŋks/.
The word ends with a distinct /s/ following a quiet /k/ articulation; in careful speech, you’ll clearly deliver the /s/ as a voiceless alveolar fricative after the /k/. In connected speech, the /s/ may voice less distinctly if the next word starts with a consonant, so you should maintain the final /s/ to preserve the plural/verb sense. IPA form: /ræŋks/.
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Rank derives from the Old French rang, rangier, from Frankish or Germanic origins, with related terms in Middle English referring to a line or row. By the 13th century, rank had come to denote a line of soldiers in a military sense, reflecting a hierarchical position. The verb form, to rank, followed as a metaphorical extension of placing objects or people in order. The plural ranks in the sense of “positions in a hierarchy” became standard across institutional contexts, including military, social, and organizational hierarchies. Across centuries, the word broadened to include rankings in competitions, lists, and classifications, with pronunciation stabilizing around the single-stressed syllable structure. The etymology tracks through Latin-based forms of rank, ultimately settling in the English lexicon with its current dual noun-verb utility and a consistent, light final consonant cluster in speech. First known use in English literature appears in medieval documents describing line positions and social orders, with later usage showing a more abstract sense of relative standing rather than physical lines alone.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "ranks" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "ranks"
-nks sounds
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