stoo-PEN-duhs
/stuˈpɛndəs/
stupendous is pronounced stoo-PEN-duhs (/stuˈpɛndəs/). Stupendous means extremely impressive or large in size or degree. It conveys a strong sense of astonishment or admiration and is often used to describe remarkable achievements, events, or objects. The term carries a positive, somewhat formal tone and is suitable for enthusiastic, emphatic praise.
Stupendous means extremely impressive or large in size or degree. It conveys a strong sense of astonishment or admiration and is often used to describe remarkable achievements, events, or objects. The term carries a positive, somewhat formal tone and is suitable for enthusiastic, emphatic praise.
- You may tend to overemphasize the first syllable, turning /stə/ into /stoʊ/; keep it light and quick as a schwa. - The middle syllable /ˈpɛn/ needs a crisp vowel; don’t let it drift toward /eɪ/ or /iː/. - The final /dəs/ can slide into /dəz/ or /dəs/; practice a clean /d/ release then a short /əs/ to keep it separate. Practice by saying the word in small segments: /stə/ + /ˈpɛn/ + /dəs/; then blend. Use shadowing to stabilize rhythm. - Tip: record yourself and compare to reference pronunciations. - Also avoid saying /stjuː/ in US contexts; reserve the /stjuː/ onset for rare borrowed forms or British stylings; the common US variant starts with /stə/.
"The fireworks show was stupendous, lighting up the sky for miles."
"She produced a stupendous performance that left the audience breathless."
"The scientist announced stupendous gains in the new experiment."
Pronounce as /stəˈpɛn.dəs/ in US and generally /stəˈpɛn.dəs/; in UK English some speakers vocalize as /stjuːˈpendəs/ with an initial consonant cluster adjustment. Stress is on the second syllable: stu-PEN-dous. Start with a light schwa in the first syllable, move to a clear ‘pen’ with a short e, and finish with ‘duss’ where the ‘ous’ is /əs/. Audio references: Cambridge and Oxford dictionaries offer native speaker pronunciations and IPA guides.
Two common errors: (1) Overpronouncing the first syllable, turning /stə/ into a full ‘sto’; keep a light unstressed schwa. (2) Flattening the second syllable’s stress, saying /stjuːˈpɛn.dəs/ or /stəˈpendəs/ without proper mid vowel quality. Correction tips: practice gradual vowel reduction in the first syllable, ensure the /p/ is released crisply, and keep the /ɛn/ clear with the tongue relaxed. Use minimal pairs like /stjuːˈpɛn.dəs/ vs /stʌˈpɛn.dəs/ to feel the contrast.
In US, US speakers typically use /stəˈpɛn.dəs/ with a rhotic, neutral /r/ influence only if r-controlled; UK tends toward /stəˈpen.dəs/ with a crisper /t/ and non-rhotic final syllable. Australian tends to have closer mouth shape and ~/stəˈpɛn.dəs/ but with slightly broader vowels and less pronounced final /ɪ/. Focus on the second syllable vowel / ɛ / and the final /əs/; IPA is a reliable reference across dialects.
Difficulty centers on the unstressed first syllable /stə/ which requires reduced vowel timing, the precise /p/ release, and the middle /ˈpɛn/ vowel quality; the sequence /dəs/ at the end demands a quick, light schwa plus s. The stress on the second syllable can tempt learners to misplace emphasis, causing 'stu-PEN-dous' vs 'stupen-DOUS' misreads. Practicing with IPA cues and slow articulation helps align jaw, tongue, and lip movements.
A unique aspect is maintaining the subtle separation between /p/ and /d/ in a single word cluster, ensuring the /d/ does not merge with the following /əs/. The syllable boundary after /pɛn/ is crucial; keep the /d/ as a distinct, soft release, followed by a clear /əs/ syllable. This precise segmentation supports intelligibility in rapid speech and avoids slurring the final syllable.
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- US: /stəˈpɛn.dəs/ with a rhotacized freedom only in connected speech; keep the /t/ light, the second syllable with a shorter /e/; final /əs/ is unstressed. - UK: /stəˈpen.dəs/ often with crisper /t/ and non-rhotic /r/ absence; /pɛn/ remains clear, final /dəs/ short and clipped. - AU: /stəˈpɛn.dəs/ similar to US but with broader vowel quality and slightly more rounded lips; ensure the /ə/ at the start remains reduced. All variants share the same stress pattern. IPA references: /stəˈpɛn.dəs/ (US/AU), /stəˈpen.dəs/ (UK).
Stupendous originates from the Latin stupēndus, meaning ‘to be astonished’ or ‘amazing.’ The form is linked to stupēre, ‘to be stunned, to gape,’ and stuper, ‘to make foolish.’ It entered English via Old French stupendos and Latin-derived scientific terms, gaining sense around ‘causing wonder, astounding’ by the 16th century. Historically, stupendous was used in both plain praise and hyperbolic rhetoric, often in the form stupendousness as a noun-adjacent quality; over time, it stabilized as an adjective describing things that evoke powerful astonishment. The sense expanded from mere awe to emphasize extraordinary scale or excellence, aligning with the era’s penchant for expressive, elevated diction. In modern usage, stupendous remains a strong, positive descriptor across formal and informal registers, frequently paired with adjectives like achievement, performance, or display to amplify impact.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "stupendous" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "stupendous"
-ous sounds
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