STREN-yoo-uh-slee
/ˈstɹɛnjuəsli/
strenuously is pronounced STREN-yoo-uh-slee (/ˈstɹɛnjuəsli/). Strenuously means with great energy, effort, or vigor, often implying strenuous exertion or toil. It describes actions done with intense physical or mental effort, suggesting difficulty or challenge. The term conveys persistence and determination in achieving a goal, typically in demanding tasks or situations.
Strenuously means with great energy, effort, or vigor, often implying strenuous exertion or toil. It describes actions done with intense physical or mental effort, suggesting difficulty or challenge. The term conveys persistence and determination in achieving a goal, typically in demanding tasks or situations.
"She argued strenuously for equal access to education, presenting data and testimonies with passion."
"They trained strenuously for the marathon, following a strict schedule and pushing through fatigue."
"The defense argued strenuously to overturn the ruling, presenting new evidence and expert testimony."
Break it into four syllables: stren-u-ous-ly. Primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈstrɛn.ju.ɪs.li/ in many US transcriptions, but the common, articulation-friendly version is /ˈstrɛn.juː.əs.li/ or /ˈstrɛn.ju.ə.sli/. For clarity: /ˈstren.ju.ə/ + /sli/. Emphasize the second consonant cluster with a clear dash between syllables. Mouth: start with a crisp /str/ blend, then open the jaw for /ɛn/ or /e/ depending on dialect, round lips slightly for /ju/, and finish with /əs.li/ or /ɪs.li/. Audio resource: you can compare with pronunciations on Forvo or YouGlish to hear regional variants.
Common errors: (1) Misplacing stress, saying strEN-u-ous-ly with incorrect emphasis; (2) Slurring the /ju/ into /u/ or dropping the /j/ leading to /strɛn.u.sli/; (3) Treating -ly as a weak ending, producing /ˈstrɛn.ju.əslɪ/ instead of /ˈstrɛn.ju.əs.li/. Correction tips: keep the /ju/ as a distinct glide after /ɛn/ and before the /ə/ or /oʊ/ sequence; clearly articulate the second syllable with a slight y-glide /ju/; finish with a full /li/ or /li/ blend, not a dark /l/ sound alone.
In US English, you’ll often hear /ˈstrɛn.ju.əs.li/ with a rhotic r not present anyway, and the /ju/ often realized as a clear /juː/; in UK English, /ˈstrɛn.ju.əs.li/ with a slightly more centralized vowel in the first syllable and crisp /lj/ sequence before the final /iː/; Australian tends to be flatter vowels and a shorter /u/ quality, so /ˈstrɛn.dʒu.əs.li/ or /ˈstrɛn.ju.əs.li/, with less vowel length and a quick, clipped final /li/. Regardless, the key is the /str/ cluster, the /ju/ glide, and the final /li/ with little or no extra vowel between /s/ and /li/.
Three main challenges: (1) The multisyallable structure with a tricky /str/ onset followed by a weak middle syllable, (2) The /ju/ glide after /ɛn/, which can blur into /u/ if not timed, and (3) The final /li/ with a light, quick coda that can be swallowed if you speak quickly. Practice focusing on separating syllables (stren-ju-ous-ly) and keeping the glide /ju/ distinct from the /ə/ or /u/ that follows. IPA cues: /ˈstrɛn.ju.əs.li/ (US/UK) and pay attention to the final /li/.
The word has an audible, four-syllable rhythm with primary stress on the first syllable while the middle -u- sound is a semi-vowel glide (/ju/). There are no silent letters in standard pronunciation, but the /j/ sound blends with the following vowel to form the /ju/ glide. The -ly ending is not silent; it yields a light /li/ in rapid speech. The tricky part is maintaining steady tempo while delivering the /ju/ glide crisply between /ɛn/ and /əs/.
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US: rhotic, more pronounced /ɹ/ in some contexts; UK: non-rhotic, crisper /t/ or /d/ depending on the following vowel; AU: similar to US with a flatter intonation and stronger /ju/ as a glide. Vowel transitions: focus on /e/ before /n/ and the /ju/ glide; /ˈstrɛn/ keeps the first syllable crisp. IPA references: /ˈstrɛn.ju.əs.li/ (US/UK), /ˈstrɛn.dʒu.əs.li/ in some dialects; diphthongs: /ɛn/ as in bed, /ju/ as in you, final /li/ as lee. - hands-on tips to feel the mouth open between syllables.
Strenuously derives from the Latin word strenuus, meaning active, energetic, or vigorous. The root stren- conveys strength and effort, connected to words like strength and strenuous. The suffix -ous marks adjectives and adverbs, forming strenuus → strenuous, later adapted to English adverbial form strenuously in the 16th–17th centuries through the -ously pattern common in Latin-derived English. The word entered English via influence from medical and classical discourse, where descriptions of exertion and muscular effort were common. Historically, strenuous appeared in English in the 15th century, with strenuously appearing as an adverbial form as part of a broader trend to create adverbs from adjectives using -ly or -ously suffixes in Early Modern English. The SE base connotes strenuous effort, difficulty, and exertion; by the modern period, strenuously is used widely to stress the intensity of action or effort in both physical and mental tasks.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "strenuously" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "strenuously"
-ely sounds
-uly sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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