riz-OOM
/ɹɪˈzum/
Resume is pronounced riz-OOM (/ɹɪˈzum/). Resume (noun, /ˈrɛz.juːm/ in US; /ˈrɪz.juːm/ in UK/AU) is a document summarizing your education, experience, and skills for job applications. It’s also spelled “résumé” with accent marks, but the unaccented form is most common in modern usage. The word carries two stresses depending on function and regional practice. In everyday contexts, it refers to a professional profile or a summary of credentials for employment.
nounResume (noun, /ˈrɛz.juːm/ in US; /ˈrɪz.juːm/ in UK/AU) is a document summarizing your education, experience, and skills for job applications. It’s also spelled “résumé” with accent marks, but the unaccented form is most common in modern usage. The word carries two stresses depending on function and regional practice. In everyday contexts, it refers to a professional profile or a summary of credentials for employment.
"She updated her resume to reflect her latest marketing campaign experience."
"The recruiter asked for your resume and a cover letter."
"After taking a short break, he returned to resume his hunt for a new position."
US: /ˈrɛz.juːm/ with the primary stress on REZ. The first syllable is a clear /rɛz/; the second syllable /juːm/ glides from /j/ to a long /uː/ before ending with /m/. UK/AU: /ˈrɪz.juːm/, with a slightly reduced vowel in the first syllable and a long /juː/ toward the end. Tip: stress the first syllable and don’t shorten the second; keep the /juː/ tight but not clipped. Audio reference: listen for native pronunciation in job-search tutorials or pronunciation platforms. IPA: US /ˈrɛz.juːm/, UK/AU /ˈrɪz.juːm/.
1) Compressing the first syllable too much, leading to /ˈrez-/ vs. /ˈrɛz-/. Correct by opening the vowel to /ɛ/ and sustaining the /z/ sound. 2) Jumping to a weak second syllable as /ˈrezʊm/ or /ˈrezəm/; keep /juː/ as a distinct glide before /m/. 3) Mixing rhoticity; in non-rhotic accents, avoid adding a post-vocalic ‘r’. Practice with minimal pair: /ˈrɛz.juːm/ vs /ˈrɪz.juːm/ to feel the vowel distinction.
US tends to use /ˈrɛz.juːm/ with a clearer /ɛ/ in the first syllable and a pronounced /juː/; UK/AU often present /ˈrɪz.juːm/ with a slightly reduced first vowel. Rhoticity can influence the final length and perceived vowel quality; while most common accents don’t add an /r/ after the vowel, some speakers with strong rhotic influence may sound a touch more closed in the middle. Overall, core is two-syllable with primary stress on the first syllable.
The challenge lies in the two-syllable structure with a stressed first syllable and a following diphthong /juː/ that blends into /m/. Many learners mispronounce it as /ˈrɪz.əm/ or confuse with /ˈrez.əʊm/. Practice the glide /j/ before the long /uː/ and ensure the /m/ is a crisp final consonant rather than a nasalised ending. Listening to native job-search tutorials helps internalize the rhythm.
The distinctive feature is the /juː/ glide after the first syllable, forming /z.juː/ rather than a simple /zu/ cluster. Also, many speakers ensure the first vowel is a full tense vowel rather than reduced; in US, /ˈrɛz.juːm/ keeps /ɛ/ distinct from /ɪ/. Paying attention to the transition from /z/ to /j/ helps avoid merging sounds into /ɪzjuː/ or /rzjuː/.
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The noun resume derives from French rentrée and Latin resumere, via Medieval Latin resumere, meaning to take up again or continue. The modern English noun resume emerged in the 20th century as a brief document listing a person’s education and experience for employment. The form is borrowed from the French word résumé and originally carried diacritical marks (résumé) to indicate the accent on each vowel. Over time, the diacritics were gradually dropped in English usage, and the term settled into “resume” in many regions, though some contexts retain the accented form. The core sense remains consistent: a concise, up-to-date summary of credentials used to apply for a job or opportunity. Early attestations in English for the employment sense appear in professional circles in the early 1900s as resumes evolved from longer “curriculum vitae” documents into shorter, job-focused summaries. The spelling shift toward “resume” often aligns with American typography conventions, while “résumé” from French persists in more formal or stylistically selective writing elsewhere. Ultimately, the word’s meaning centers on selection, prioritization, and presentation of relevant accomplishments to advance a career.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Resume" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Resume"
-ume sounds
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