/ˈsteɪtmənt/
statement is pronounced /ˈsteɪtmənt/. A concise utterance or declaration; a fact or assertion presented in speech or writing. In broad use, a statement communicates information, opinion, or a position, often forming the basis of argument or decision. It can appear as a sentence, a formal report, or a spoken claim, typically structured to convey clear meaning with expected truth value.
Say it backA concise utterance or declaration; a fact or assertion presented in speech or writing. In broad use, a statement communicates information, opinion, or a position, often forming the basis of argument or decision. It can appear as a sentence, a formal report, or a spoken claim, typically structured to convey clear meaning with expected truth value.
"The manager issued a statement about the new policy."
"During the hearing, a written statement was submitted as evidence."
"Her statement clearly outlined the goals of the project."
Pronounce it as /ˈsteɪt.mənt/. First syllable STAY carries primary stress. The second syllable is a weak, reduced /mə/ (schwa). The final consonant is a clear /t/ in careful speech, but in fast connected speech it may be unreleased. Think: “STAYT-ment,” with a crisp /t/ before the /m/.
Two common issues: (1) Over-pronouncing the second syllable, saying /ˈsteɪtˌmɛnt/ or /ˈsteɪt.ment/ with a full vowel in the second syllable; correct is a reduced /mə/. (2) Blurring the /t/ at the boundary, producing /ˈsteɪdmənt/ or a linking error where the /t/ blends with following consonants; keep a distinct /t/ before the /m/. Practice with a light aspirated /t/.
In General American, /ˈst eɪt.mənt/ with a clear /t/ and rhotic influence on the /r/ not present here; UK RP tends to a similar /ˈsteɪt.mənt/ but with slightly crisper /t/ and non-rhoticity not affecting /t/; Australian English tends to a more centralized /ə/ in second syllable and a sometimes softer /t/ or glottalization in casual speech. Overall stress remains on the first syllable across accents.
Key difficulties include the sequence of a long vowel in the first syllable /eɪ/ followed by a reduced second syllable /mə/ and a final /nt/; rapid speech can lead to an unreleased /t/ or blending with the following word. The transition between /t/ and /m/ requires precise tongue contact to avoid a slurred or fused sound. Mastering the syllable boundary helps clarity.
A notable feature is the two-stress-like effect in casual speech: you often hear secondary emphasis on the first syllable even as the second carries reduced prominence. More precisely, you want a strong primary stress on /ˈsteɪt/ and a quick, weak /mənt/; ensuring the /t/ is clearly released before the /m/ improves intelligibility in rapid delivery.
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Statement comes from the early 14th century Old French estatment, a noun form derived from estat (estate, state) with the agent noun suffix -ment. It was reborrowed into English via Anglo-Norman and Middle English, initially meaning a declaration of state or condition. Over time, the word broadened to mean any articulated assertion or account of a fact. The core sense ties to presenting a fixed position or ‘state’ of information in a communicative act. The pronunciation shift toward stressed syllables and the reduction of the unstressed syllable in rapid speech contributed to the current form, in which the main stress rests on the first syllable: /ˈsteɪt.mənt/. First known uses appear in legal and formal documents where statements of fact or position were required, gradually expanding into everyday discourse, journalism, and rhetoric. The concept evolved from concrete declarations about situations or states to more abstract assertions of opinion, belief, or testimony. In modern English, a statement may be a sentence, claim, or formal account, often accompanied by evidence or justification.
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Words that rhyme with "statement"
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