Stealth is the act or characteristic of remaining undetected or hidden, often through quiet, discreet, or covert means. In general usage it refers to behaviors, movements, or operations designed to avoid detection, especially in military, gaming, or competitive contexts. As a noun, it can also denote the state of being unseen or the method used to achieve it.
"The spy moved with stealth through the dim corridor."
"A stealth aircraft uses special design features to minimize radar detection."
"He approached the stage with stealth, careful not to wake the sleeping crowd."
"The marketing team carried out stealth testing before the product launch."
Stealth originated in Middle English stele, related to stealthy from Old English stil(h) ‘motion, pace, steadiness’ and related to still. The modern sense of stealth as secrecy and concealment began to appear in the 15th–16th centuries, influenced by naval and military terminology. The term likely drew on the idea of “stillness” and “stealing” one’s presence, i.e., moving without drawing attention. The word’s current nuance emphasizes quiet execution and concealment rather than mere absence of noise. First known use in print traces to military contexts where stealth strategies were discussed during reconnaissance and nocturnal operations. Over time, stealth broadened to civilian and hobby domains (video games, business). The spelling reflects the historical form and the suffix -th common to abstract nouns in Middle English, culminating in the contemporary pronunciation with the unvoiced /θ/ initial blend and the final /lθ/ cluster.” ,
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Stealth" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Stealth"
-lth sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Stealth is pronounced with a single syllable /stɛlθ/. Start with /st/ as in stop, then /ɛ/ like bed, followed by the voiceless th /θ/ as in think. The final /l/ is light but clear before the /θ/. Stress falls on the only syllable. Tip: keep the tongue high for /θ/ and avoid inserting a vowel between /t/ and /θ/ (avoid 'ste-uh-lth').
Common errors include inserting a vowel between /t/ and /θ/, saying /stɛlð/ with a voiced /ð/ instead of /θ/, and softening the final /θ/ into /f/ or /v/. To correct: practice holding the final voiceless /θ/ by placing the tongue tip gently between upper and lower teeth and blowing air without voice. Ensure the /l/ is light and not a dark/rough /l/.
Across accents, the core /stɛl/ is consistent, but some speakers may voice or devoice the final /θ/. In many American varieties, final /θ/ can be softer or aspirated slightly, while some British speakers preserve a crisper /θ/. Australian speakers often compress the final /θ/ slightly, producing a quicker closure with the tongue. The front vowel /ɛ/ remains similar, but adjacent vowel reductions may occur in rapid speech.
Stealth is challenging because of the final voiceless interdental fricative /θ/, which requires accurate tongue placement behind the teeth and a precise, unvoiced airflow. The cluster /lθ/ demands rapid coordination: you finish the /l/ with a smooth tongue pressure directly into the /θ/. Many learners also tend to insert a vowel, producing /stɛəlθ/ or /stɛlθə/. Practice helps stabilize the bite, tip position, and breath.
Stealth uniquely tests interdental fricatives and l-then-th sequences. You’ll want to practice the sequence /s t ɛ l θ/ with crisp consonants and minimal vowel intrusion. Because /θ/ is often mispronounced, dedicated articulation drills that isolate the /θ/ with /t/ and /l/ can yield clean results. Listen for contrastive minimal pairs like ste- vs se- and track mouth positions using a mirror.
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