sprint
/spɹɪnt/
sprint is pronounced sprint (/spɹɪnt/). Sprint is a short, rapid run, typically of a few tens to hundreds of meters, executed at maximum or near-maximum speed. It denotes a burst of high-intensity effort with minimal contact time with the ground and maximal drive from the legs. The term also figuratively means a brief, intense period of activity or effort.
Sprint is a short, rapid run, typically of a few tens to hundreds of meters, executed at maximum or near-maximum speed. It denotes a burst of high-intensity effort with minimal contact time with the ground and maximal drive from the legs. The term also figuratively means a brief, intense period of activity or effort.
- Incomplete onset: Some learners fail to release the /p/ immediately after /s/, causing a muddy onset. Fix by practicing /sp/ sequences with the tongue tip ready to switch to /ɹ/ and then /t/. - Vowel length confusion: The /ɪ/ in sprint is short; learners may lengthen it, sounding like /sprɪnt/ with a longer vowel. Practice with quick, clipped vowel holding only the duration needed. - Final consonant blending: Some pronounce /t/ with heavy aspiration or omit it, turning the word into /sprɪn/. Focus on a crisp, unaspirated or lightly aspirated /t/ release and avoid nasalization. - For rapid speech and connected phrases, ensure the /t/ does not fuse with following word; maintain a clean stop between words to preserve clarity.
"The athlete lined up for the 100-meter sprint."
"She had to sprint to catch the bus before it left."
"During finals week, he managed a sprint of study sessions between classes."
Pronounce it as single syllable /sprɪnt/. Start with a bilabial /s/ to a voiceless alveolar stop /p/ followed by the short lax vowel /ɪ/ and finish with the voiceless alveolar stop /nt/. The vowel is short and reduced in duration relative to longer vowels. The tongue lands lightly at the alveolar ridge for the /t/, and the release should be crisp but not heavily aspirated. IPA: US/UK/AU /sprɪnt/.
Common errors include pronouncing an /e/-like vowel as in ‘spring’ (/sprɪŋ/ with a nasal) or adding extra vowel length before /t/, producing /sprɪn t/ or /sprɪɛnt/. Another pitfall is delaying the /t/ or releasing it too softly, giving an /sprint/ with a glottal stop or a trailing vowel. Correct by keeping the /ɪ/ short, ensuring a clean alveolar stop /t/ with a crisp release, and avoiding a nasal or extra vowel sound after /t/.
In General American, /sprɪnt/ with clear /ɹ/ and short /ɪ/. In Received Pronunciation (UK), /sprɪnt/ tends to have slightly tighter mouth positioning and less rhoticity influence; the /r/ is not pronounced before a vowel, but here there is no /r/ following a vowel, so the difference is subtle in connected speech. In Australian English, /ɹ/ may be less retroflex, with a slightly higher vowel quality, yet still retains /ɪ/; the final /t/ can be more flapped in rapid speech, but in careful speech remains a crisp /t/.
The difficulty lies in the cluster /spr-/. You must coordinate the sibilant /s/ with the /p/ closure and the alveolar /t/ release. The /ɹ/ can influence the preceding vowel quality in some dialects, and the short /ɪ/ requires a quick, precise mouth position without vowel lengthening. In fast speech, the sequence can blur, so speakers may produce /sprɪnt/ with an extra vowel or omit the /t/. Focus on the crisp /t/ release and the tight tongue contact at the alveolar ridge.
A unique aspect is the tight consonant cluster at the start: /spr-/. The /s/ is immediately followed by a compact /p/ made without voicing, then an /r/ that can influence the vowel quality of the preceding /ɪ/ in some rapids of speech. While not silent letters, the combination demands precise articulation to avoid vowel elongation or fusion. The final /nt/ release should be clean and quick, avoiding glottalization or a nasal assimilation.
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- US: emphasize rhotics with /ɹ/ before vowel boundaries; keep /ɪ/ short and tense, avoid rounding the lips excessively. - UK: subtle vowel tint and less aggressive rhotic influence; keep /t/ clear and avoid glottal stop in careful speech. - AU: less retroflexed /ɹ/, more reduced vowel quality; ensure final /t/ is released crisply, not converted to a flap in careful speech. In all, keep the onset tight and the final /t/ crisp; IPA guides show /sprɪnt/ across dialects, with minor vowel quality differences.
Sprint comes from the verb sprinting, which in turn likely derives from the earlier sense of 'to press forward' or 'to rush' in English. The precise origin is debated; it is generally considered to appear in the 18th to 19th centuries in dialectal usage, with roots possibly connected to Scots and Northern English vernacular forms that emphasized rapid, sudden movement. The word shares semantics with related Germanic compounds that imply quick movement, and its first attestations appear in contexts describing swift athletic actions rather than extended travel. Over time, sprint broadened to cover both literal fast running over short distances and figurative uses (a sprint of activity). The orthography and pronunciation stabilized in Standard English with a single syllable and a final /t/ sound, distinguishing it from longer-duration runs. In modern usage, sprint is almost always a noun or verb describing brief, intense exertion, especially in track and field or competitive contexts. First known uses are cited in mid- to late-1800s English sporting texts, with increasing generalization in the 20th century as formal athletics and training language spread globally.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "sprint" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "sprint" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "sprint"
-int sounds
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