/ɹɪˈkwɛstɪd/
Say it backA verb form meaning to ask for something to be supplied or fulfilled, typically in a formal or official context. It can also function as an adjective in software or document controls (the “requested items” list). The word emphasizes the act of making a request and the specific item or action being sought. In speech, it carries a light to moderate stress on the second syllable in many uses.
"- The committee has requested additional documentation by Friday."
"- She requested a meeting with the supervisor to discuss the proposal."
"- The system will display a list of items that have been requested by users."
Pronounced rɪˈkwɛstɪd. The primary stress falls on the second syllable: re-QUEST-ed. Start with an /r/ sound, then a short /ɪ/ as in “bit,” followed by /ˈkwɛ/ where /kw/ is a consonant cluster and /ɛ/ as in “bet.” End with a clear /stɪd/ or /stɪd/ depending on speaking pace. In careful speech you’ll enunciate the final /d/. Audio reference: consult Cambridge or Forvo for native speaker examples.
Two common errors are misplacing the stress or flattening the second syllable into an unstressed /ɪ/ or /ɛ/. Some speakers merge the /kw/ into a /k/ or /w/ cluster too lightly, producing /rɪˈkɛstɪd/ or /rɪˈkwɛsɪd/. Correction: emphasize the /kw/ cluster and the / ɛ / vowel in the stressed /kwɛ/ syllable, keep the /st/ crisp, and finish with a clear /d/.
In US and UK, the stressed syllable /kwɛ/ is fairly similar, but US speakers may reduce the final /ɪd/ to /ɪd/ or /əd/ in rapid speech, whereas UK speakers often keep a slightly more fronted /ɛ/ and a crisper /t/ before the /ɪd/. Australian speakers tend to maintain a lighter /t/ release and may slightly lengthen the final /ɪd/ due to intonation. IPA references align with /rɪˈkwɛstɪd/ (US/UK) and slight vowel shifts.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster /kw/ immediately followed by /st/, plus the final /ɪd/ suffix. The vowel in the stressed syllable /ɛ/ can be weakened in fast speech, and the /t/ can be flapped or glottalized in some dialects, changing the perceived syllable boundary. Mastery requires keeping the /kw/ cluster intact, shaping the mid-front vowel clearly, and delivering a final crisp /d/.
Is the /ɪ/ in the final syllable always pronounced as a full vowel, or can it be reduced to a schwa in casual speech? Answer: In careful speech it’s /ɪd/, with the /ɪ/ clearly pronounced before the final /d/. In fast, casual speech, some speakers reduce the /ɪ/ to a schwa-like sound or even drop it, yielding /rɪˈkwɛstəd/ or /rɪˈkwɛst(d)/. For clarity, keep the /ɪ/ distinct and finish with a voiced /d/.
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The word requested originates from the past participle form of the verb request, which itself comes from the Old French requester, derived from requestier, from requescier “to seek, demand” and reques “an asking, request.” The broader English lineage traces to Latin petitionem, via French demande, and the Germanic influence in the Middle Ages solidified “request” as a formal act of asking. The suffix -ed marks the past participle and past tense usage, embedding the word in contexts of formality and documentation. Over time, “requested” shifted from a general act of asking to a specific indication that the action was formally asked for or specified in writing, often in administrative, legal, and digital settings. First attested forms appear in Middle English legal and bureaucratic texts, with the modern sense of “having been asked for” crystallizing in the late 16th to 17th centuries as administrative processes expanded and formal language became standardized.
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Words that rhyme with "requested"
-ted sounds
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