rim-OHT
/ɹɪˈmoʊt/
remote is pronounced rim-OHT (/ɹɪˈmoʊt/). Remote can function as an adjective meaning far away or distant, or as a noun referring to a device that operates machinery from a distance. It also appears as a verb meaning to isolate or remove something from contact. In everyday use, it often describes locations, relationships, or controls that are not physically close. Context determines nuanced connotations, from speculative distance to political or strategic remoteness.
Remote can function as an adjective meaning far away or distant, or as a noun referring to a device that operates machinery from a distance. It also appears as a verb meaning to isolate or remove something from contact. In everyday use, it often describes locations, relationships, or controls that are not physically close. Context determines nuanced connotations, from speculative distance to political or strategic remoteness.
- You may flatten the second syllable vowel, saying ri-MEET or ri-MEYT; instead, aim for ri-MOHT with a clear long /oʊ/ or /əʊ/ before the final /t/. - Some speakers release the final /t/ too softly or replace it with a glottal stop; practice a full alveolar /t/ release to avoid substituting with a glottal stop. - The first syllable often adopts an unstressed schwa; ensure your first vowel is shorter and less prominent than the second syllable, so the rhythm lands on the second syllable. - In fast speech, you may merge into a single syllable; use deliberate timing to preserve two clear syllables, especially in phrases like remote control or remote work.
"The remote island was reachable only by boat."
"She used a remote to turn off the TV without getting up."
"Many workers now have remote access to the company’s servers."
Pronounce as ri-MOHT or ri-MO-t in US and UK variants; primary stress on the second syllable. IPA US: riˈmoʊt, UK: rɪˈməʊt. Mouth positions: begin with a short, relaxed /r/ followed by a reduced /i/ or schwa in some speech, then a long /oʊ/ (US) or /əʊ/ (UK) glide into a final /t/. For natural rhythm, keep the vowel in the first syllable light and compress the second syllable’s vowel toward a clear, closed /o/ before the final /t/. Audio reference: consult pronunciation platforms like Pronounce or Forvo for native speaker samples, then mimic the rhythm and the second-syllable vowel length.
Common errors include reducing the second syllable to /ɪ/ or /ə/ or slurring the /t/ as a soft d. Some speakers misplace stress, giving re-MO-t or re-MOTE with unclear rhythm. To correct: emphasize the second syllable and use a clean /oʊ/ (US) or /əʊ/ (UK) before the final /t/. Ensure the final /t/ is released, not silent, and avoid adding a post-fix /ɹ/ beyond normal US pronunciation.
In US English, the second syllable carries primary stress: riˈmoʊt with a clear long /oʊ/ and an explicit final /t/. UK English often uses r-lessness, with /ˈriːts/ or /rɪˈməʊt/ depending on speaker and context; standard is r- less but similar stress on second syllable and a crisp /t/. Australian English resembles UK patterns but with more centralized vowels and a slightly higher vowel in the second syllable; the /t/ is typically unreleased in casual speech yet clearly released in careful speech.
Key challenges include producing the diphthong in the second syllable /oʊ/ or /əʊ/ with a smooth glide, and ensuring a distinct, released final /t/ rather than a stopped or glottalized form. The first syllable often features a reduced vowel or subtle /i/ or /ɪ/ depending on speaker, which can blur the intended two-syllable rhythm. Mastery requires practicing the two-syllable cadence and final /t/ clarity in connected speech.
A helpful note: in casual American speech, some speakers may realize the first vowel as a reduced schwa (rə- moʊt) leading to /rəˈmoʊt/ depending on speech rate; this is common but can obscure the two-syllable pattern. Maintaining a clear /riˈmoʊt/ or /rɪˈməʊt/ can improve intelligibility, especially in careful or formal contexts.
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- US: emphasize riˈmoʊt with a strong mid-back vowel /oʊ/ and a crisp /t/. Non-rhotic areas will still produce a clear /r/ at the start in many speakers, but do not let it bleed into the second syllable. - UK: r-dropping means you’ll hear /r/ less pronounced, often sounding /ˈriːməʊt/ or /rɪˈməʊt/ depending on locale; keep the second syllable’s /əʊ/ crisp and ensure the final /t/ is released. - AU: similar to UK; expect flatter vowels and a subtler nontomotic /r/; keep second-syllable vowel length intact and avoid over-articulating the first syllable. IPA references: US riˈmoʊt, UK rɪˈməʊt, AU ˈrimōt. - General tips: keep the mouth in a relaxed position; lift the tongue for the second syllable’s long vowel; avoid adding additional consonants between syllables; practice with carrier phrases to reinforce rhythm.
Remote derives from the Old French remoter, meaning to move back or withdraw, from re- (back) + montrer (to show) or a related root meaning to move away. By the 14th century English borrowed remote to describe physical distance and later extended to figurative distance and technological separation. The sense of a distant place predates the modern sense of a remote control by several centuries; the “remote” that controls devices emerged in the late 20th century as consumer electronics popularized wireless signaling and infrared or radio frequency transmission. The noun and adjective forms evolved in English in parallel with the broader noun “remoteness,” indicating separation in space, time, or relation. The verb usage to remove or isolate is less common but attested in legal and scientific language, where something is remote from a standard or baseline. First known uses include Middle English texts that describe distant lands and later 18th- to 19th-century literature that uses remote to express figurative distance in sentiment or circumstance. Overall, remote has shifted from physical distance to encompass less tangible forms of separation—digital, emotional, and strategic—while retaining a core sense of distance.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "remote" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "remote"
-oat sounds
-ote sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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