RUHSH-uhz
/ˈɹʌʃəz/
rushes is pronounced RUHSH-uhz (/ˈɹʌʃəz/). Rushes is the plural noun or third-person singular form of rush, meaning quick, urgent movements or a population surge. In pronunciation, it starts with a stressed single syllable /rʌʃ/ and, when pluralized as ‘rushes,’ ends with an voiced z sound /ˌrʌʃɪz/ or a silent-e plural in some dialects. The word often features a reduced vowel in fast speech, and final consonant clusters may influence linking to following words.
Rushes is the plural noun or third-person singular form of rush, meaning quick, urgent movements or a population surge. In pronunciation, it starts with a stressed single syllable /rʌʃ/ and, when pluralized as ‘rushes,’ ends with an voiced z sound /ˌrʌʃɪz/ or a silent-e plural in some dialects. The word often features a reduced vowel in fast speech, and final consonant clusters may influence linking to following words.
"The crowd rushes toward the exit as soon as the doors open."
"In spring, the river rushes past the banks after heavy rains."
"He rushes to finish the assignment before the deadline."
Pronounce as /ˈrʌʃɪz/ in most dialects. The first syllable bears the primary stress: /ˈrʌʃ/. The second syllable is a short, unstressed /ɪ/ followed by the voiced /z/. In careful speech, you might clearly enunciate the /ɪ/ before the final /z/, but in fast speech it often reduces slightly. Mouth: start with a rounded open-mid back vowel for /ʌ/, then /ʃ/ as a voiceless postalveolar fricative, then a brief schwa-like /ɪ/ or reduced vowel before /z/. IPA reference: US: /ˈrʌʃɪz/; UK/AU typically /ˈrʌʃɪz/. Audio cues: begin with a strong but relaxed /r/, bring the tongue to a high position for /ʃ/, end with vocalic /z/ with voicing continuing across the final consonant. Keywords: stress on first syllable; /ɹ/ approximant, /ʃ/ fricative, /ɪ/ lax vowel, /z/ voiced sibilant.
Common errors: 1) Misplacing stress on the second syllable (ru-SHES). 2) Pronouncing /ɹ/ as a vowel or dropping the /ʃ/ cluster (ru-ses). 3) Voicing the final /s/ as /s/ in some contexts without voicing, or producing /z/ inconsistently. Corrections: keep primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈrʌʃɪz/. Shape your mouth for /ʃ/ before the /ɪ/ and ensure the /z/ is voiced; practice with a voiced whisper to feel vibration on /z/. Use minimal pair practice with /rʌʃ/ vs /rʌʃɪz/ and ensure final /z/ is held slightly longer than /s/ to avoid a hissy final.
In general, /ˈrʌʃɪz/ is consistent. US rhotic speakers maintain a fully voiced /ɹ/ and clear /z/ at the end; UK vowels may be slightly clipped with less voyel length in rapid speech; AU often leans toward a slightly broader vowel in /ʌ/ with a less pronounced rhotic; some speakers might show minor vowel reduction to /ˈɹʊʃɪz/ in casual speech. Stress remains on the first syllable in most dialects. Watch for the subtly different vowel quality in /ʌ/ vs /ʊ/.
The difficulty comes from the consonant cluster /ʃɪz/ after an initial /r/ and the subtle vowel quality of /ʌ/ followed by a short /ɪ/. The transition from /ʃ/ to /ɪ/ requires precise tongue relaxation; the /z/ must be voiced with adequate voicing and length. In fast speech, the /ɪ/ can reduce to a near-schwa, changing perceived syllable count. Additionally, linking with following words can alter your final /z/ duration, making it sound like a dotted /z/ or a trailing /s/. Pay attention to voicing and tension in the tongue for a crisp end.
In rushes, the standard is /ɪz/ when the singular ends with /ʃ/ and the plural adds /ɪz/ to preserve ease of pronunciation and syllabic flow. So the final sound is a short /ɪ/ before /z/. In rapid speech, the /ɪ/ can reduce, producing /ˈrʃz/ or /ˈrʌʃz/ in some dialects. Practicing with a mirror and identifying the /ɪ/ position helps ensure accurate articulation.
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Rushes comes from the verb rush, tracing to Old French ruser or Italian correre via Latin currere. Early English usage centers on swift movement and sudden actions. The noun rush derives from Middle English rusch, denoting a surge or rapid movement, linked to the sense of hurrying or pressing forward. The plural form rushes follows standard English pluralization: adding -es to words ending in -sh to preserve phonotactic ease. The sense extended to vegetation (rushes as plant material) later in compound forms, but in isolation, rushes retains primarily its motion-related origins. First known uses in Middle English (circa 13th century) appear in legal and narrative poetry describing crowds aka “rushes” or “rushes of people.” The semantic shift toward “surging” or “hastening” actions remained consistent, with modern literature distinguishing rushes as either plural noun (multiple instances of rush) or third-person singular verb form (he rushes). The word’s morphological stability — consonant cluster /ʃ/ followed by /ɪz/ or /ɪz/ in orthography — reflects historical sound change patterns in English where /ɪ/ preceding /z/ is common in plurals and third-person singular verbs.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "rushes" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "rushes"
-hes sounds
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