/ɹɪˈmeɪnz/
Say it backRemains is a verb (third person singular and plural noun form) meaning to continue to exist or to be left after something is removed or destroyed; as a noun it denotes what is left behind. In verb form, it often appears with auxiliary verbs (remains, remained, remaining). As a plural noun, remains refers to leftovers or remnants. The word carries a neutral to slightly formal tone, depending on context.
"The old house remains standing after the flood."
"What remains of the cake is in the fridge."
"He remains hopeful despite the setback."
Pronounce it as /rɪˈmeɪnz/. The first syllable is unstressed: ri-, with a reduced vowel /ɪ/. The second syllable bears primary stress: /meɪnz/, rhyming with names. The final sound is the /nz/ cluster, produced by raising the tongue to the alveolar ridge for /n/ and then immediately shaping a /z/ voiced consonant. Mouth position: start with a relaxed jaw, glide into a mid-front vowel for the first syllable, then a long diphthong /eɪ/ as you move to the stressed second syllable, finishing with the voiced /nz/ blend.
Common mistakes include misplacing the stress (saying ri-MAINS with the emphasis on the first syllable) and shortening/altering the /eɪ/ diphthong to a simple /e/ or /ɛ/ sound. Another error is pronouncing the final /nz/ as /ns/ or dropping the /z/ and saying /n/. To correct: keep secondary unstressed /ɪ/ in the first syllable, release the /eɪ/ as a clear diphthong, and finalize with a distinct /nz/ cluster by voicing the /z/ immediately after the /n/ without a vowel in between.
In US, UK, and AU, the pronunciation of remains is broadly /rɪˈmeɪnz/. Differences lie mainly in vowel quality and rhoticity: US and AU accents keep rhoticity with /r/ in all positions; the /ɪ/ in the first syllable can be a bit more lax in some US dialects. UK non-rhotic varieties may exhibit subtle vowel length differences and a slightly tighter /ɪ/ in the first syllable with clearer /eɪ/ in the second; however, the overall rhythm and stress pattern remain the same across these varieties.
The difficulty often comes from the two-syllable structure with a strong primary stress on the second syllable and the /ɪ/ in the first syllable followed by the /eɪ/ diphthong; the transition between /ɪ/ and /eɪ/ can be slippery, especially for non-native speakers. Additionally, the final /nz/ cluster requires precise voicing and timing to avoid sounding like /n/ or /nz/ fused incorrectly. Focusing on the diphthong release and voicing in /z/ helps solidify correct pronunciation.
A unique aspect is maintaining the vowel harmony and rhythm between the unstressed first syllable and the stressed second syllable: ri- (unstressed, quick /ɪ/) versus -mains (stressed /meɪnz/). The glide in the /eɪ/ diphthong should be clear but not overly prolonged, and the final /z/ should be voiced immediately after /n/. Practicing with minimal pairs like "reigns/reins/rains" helps isolate the vowel movement and voicing contrast in this word.
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Remains comes from the Old French remained or remainer, from rester ‘to stay, to remain,’ from Latin permanere ‘to endure, remain,’ from per- ‘through’ + manere ‘to stay.’ The form remained in Middle English as a verb meaning to continue to stay or endure, and by the 14th century the sense of what is left behind after something is removed appeared. The noun form “remains” developed to indicate leftovers or relics, cognate with modern terms like remnants. The word is closely tied to the notion of persistence or continuing presence across contexts: legal phrases (the remains of a building), archaeological remnants, or continued existence of a person or thing. Throughout its evolution, remains retained a neutral, sometimes somber tone associated with what endures or what is left after action has occurred. The plural noun usage often collocates with quantifiers and determiners (the remains, some remains, only remains) and can carry a sense of physical leftovers or abstract continuance depending on context.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "remains" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "remains"
-mes sounds
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