2 syllables: spin, out. Stress on spin.
SPEYE-nowt
/ˈspaɪnaʊt/
spinout is pronounced SPEYE-nowt (/ˈspaɪnaʊt/). It has two syllables (spin-out), with the stress on "spin". Spinout is a noun or verb referring to a vehicle or object physically losing traction and skidding, or more broadly to a situation that ends in a rapid, uncontrolled event. It can describe a dramatic loss of control in driving, or metaphorically, a financial or reputational collapse that unfolds quickly and unexpectedly.
Spinout is a noun or verb referring to a vehicle or object physically losing traction and skidding, or more broadly to a situation that ends in a rapid, uncontrolled event. It can describe a dramatic loss of control in driving, or metaphorically, a financial or reputational collapse that unfolds quickly and unexpectedly.
- You might flatten the /ɪ/ in SPIN to a schwa, making SPIN sound like SPUN. Correction: keep a crisp, clipped /ɪ/ in SPIN, similar to the 'pin' vowel. - The /aʊ/ portion can become a simple /a/ or /ɒ/ in fast speech. Correction: practice the diphthong as a controlled glide from /a/ to /ʊ/ with a steady transition. - The final /t/ can be over-aspirated, creating a noticeable puff or being dropped entirely. Correction: aim for a light, quick stop with minimal release; in rapid speech, close-mouth to /t/ without extra aspiration.
"The car hit a slick patch and performed a dramatic spinout on the highway."
"Investors worried that the spinout of the startup would derail its growth strategy."
"The driver managed to recover after a spinout and return to the roadway."
Pronounce it as /ˈspɪnˌaʊt/. The primary stress is on SPIN, with a secondary stress on OUT due to the compound structure. Start with the short i as in ship, then glide to the diphthong /aʊ/ like how in 'about' the 'ou' sounds. The final /t/ is typically a light, quickly released stop in fluent speech. Think: SPIN-out, with the mouth closing softly at the end.
Common errors include mispronouncing the /ɪ/ as a lax schwa in SPIN, and turning /aʊ/ into a simple /a/ or /ɔ/. Some speakers also aspirate the /t/ too much, creating an extra puff of air; others drop the /t/ entirely in fast speech. Correct by keeping /ɪ/ clear (as in 'pin'), form the /aʊ/ as a smooth glide from /a/ to /ʊ/ without breaking, and finish with a light, unreleased /t/ or a soft alveolar stop.
Across US/UK/AU, the core /ˈspɪn/ onset remains similar, but rhoticity can affect adjoining sounds in connected speech. In non-rhotic UK varieties, you might hear a slightly reduced trailing vowel before the /t/, while rhotic US keeps a stronger r-influence only if the word connects to a following r-colleague. The /aʊ/ diphthong remains /aʊ/ in all three, but Australians may have a shorter, closer glide into /ʊ/ depending on the speaker. Overall, the primary differences are subtle and occur in linked speech and rhythm.
Spinout challenges you with a prominent diphthong /aʊ/ that requires a smooth glide from /a/ to /ʊ/ while keeping the /ɪ/ in SPIN distinct. The word boundary between SPIN and OUT can lead to mis-stressing or running the two syllables together. Also, the final /t/ can be unreleased or lightly aspirated, which changes the perceived termination. Mastery comes from careful tongue position for /ɪ/ and precise lip rounding into /aʊ/, plus clear but subtle final t.
The unique aspect of spinout pronunciation lies in balancing the sharp, short /ɪ/ of SPIN with the dynamic /aʊ/ diphthong in OUT while preserving a stable, lightly released final /t/. The transition should be swift and smooth, avoiding an ellipsis or an extended pause between the two syllables. Emphasize the contrast between centralized /ɪ/ and open/rounded /aʊ/ to maintain clear syllable separation.
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- US: rhotic influence is subtle here; maintain even rhoticity only when linking to next word. Vowel quality: /ɪ/ remains sharp; /aʊ/ often realized with a strong but not overly wide glide. - UK: non-rhotic contexts can reduce the post-consonant vowel a touch, making spinout feel crisper; emphasize a fronted /ɪ/ and clear /aʊ/ movement. - AU: tendency toward slightly flatter diphthongs and lengthening of vowels in some dialects; keep /aʊ/ distinct but allow a smoother register into the following consonant. IPA references: /ˈspɪnˌaʊt/ across variants; monitor yakking rhythm and final t release.
Spinout combines the verb spin, meaning to rotate rapidly, with out, signaling a resulting state or event. The term emerged in mid-20th century American English, initially in motorsport and automotive contexts to describe a vehicle spinning out of control. The usage broadened into finance and business to describe abrupt, uncontrollable declines or separations that “spin out” of a company’s expected trajectory. Early occurrences appear in news reports and motor sports commentary as drivers lose traction on wet or icy roads. Over time, spinout has retained its core image of centrifugal motion followed by an uncontrollable trajectory, expanding metaphorically to non-vehicular domains to describe rapid, chaotic sequences of events that deviate from planned paths. First known written attestations appear in automotive journalism from the 1950s–1960s, with increasing frequency in finance and tech literature by the late 20th century as the phrase migrated beyond cars and tracks into broader discourse about sudden, destabilizing events.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "spinout" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "spinout"
-out sounds
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