2 syllables: Stut, ter. Stress on Stut.
STUHT-ur
/ˈstʌtɚ/
Stutter is pronounced STUHT-ur (/ˈstʌtɚ/). It has two syllables (Stut-ter), with the stress on "Stut". Stutter (verb) refers to the irregular repetition or prolongation of sounds, syllables, or words, often interrupting smooth speech. It can reflect a momentary artifact of speech planning or a more persistent fluency issue, with varying severity. In practical terms, it describes a speech pattern where flow is interrupted by hesitations, blocks, or repetitions during speaking.
verbStutter (verb) refers to the irregular repetition or prolongation of sounds, syllables, or words, often interrupting smooth speech. It can reflect a momentary artifact of speech planning or a more persistent fluency issue, with varying severity. In practical terms, it describes a speech pattern where flow is interrupted by hesitations, blocks, or repetitions during speaking.
How to Pronounce Stutter
"- Some children stutter when they’re excited or nervous, but many outgrow it with practice."
"- The lawyer’s opening statement was confident, despite a few stutters as she gathered her thoughts."
"- He tends to stutter on multisyllabic words under pressure."
You say /ˈstʌtər/ in US and /ˈstʌtə/ in UK/AU. Stress is on the first syllable. Start with an open jaw for /ɜː/ or rather /ʌ/ as in 'cup', then a clear /t/ with a hint of aspiration, and end with a schwa or light /ə/ depending on accent. Imagine saying 'STUT' quickly, then add a light 'er' or 'a' sound. A quick audio reference can help—listen to native speakers saying 'stutter' on reputable dictionaries or pronunciation sites.
Common errors include turning the initial /ˈstʌ/ cluster into an overly stressed or elongated onset and softening the /t/ into a glottal stop. Another error is pronouncing the final /ər/ as a full /ər/ with an overt vowel in non-rhotic accents. Correction: keep a crisp /t/ release, ensure the /s/ blends into /t/ without adding extra vowels, and use a reduced final vowel /ə/ or /ɚ/ depending on accent.
In US English, the word is typically /ˈstʌtər/ with rhotic final /ɚ/. In UK English, it’s /ˈstʌtə/ with a non-rhotic ending, often a schwa. Australian English mirrors UK patterns but can be slightly more centralized with a lighter /ə/. Across all, the initial /st/ cluster remains, but final vowel quality and rhoticity vary: US rhotics, UK/AU non-rhotic or semi-rhotic variants.
The difficulty centers on the /st/ cluster and the adjacent vowel quality, particularly the short /ʌ/ in stressed syllables, followed by a lightly released /t/ before a stressed or unstressed final vowel. In fast speech, the tongue must rapidly transition from alveolar /t/ to a mid-central /ɚ/ or /ə/. People may also anticipate a block and adjust airflow awkwardly, causing momentary repetition or prolongation.
In careful enunciation, you might hear a slight double-t sound if the speaker is emphasizing words, especially when irritated or anxious, but standard pronunciation remains a single /t/ release: /ˈstʌtər/. If over-articulated, you could briefly hear a longer onset or a second, quick /t/ as a demonstration in speech exercises, but that is not typical in fluent speech.
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The verb stutter derives from the Middle English stuter, from Old English styllan? or stotian? The word is related to stutterers and to the noun stutter, with roots traced to Germanic languages where similar forms described a clumsy or stumbling manner of speaking. Historically, references appear in 16th- and 17th-century texts describing impeded speech, often linked with medical or moral explanations of speech irregularities. Over centuries, the term broadened from a specific impediment to a general label for repeated sounds and hesitations in speech. By the 19th and 20th centuries, “stutter” became the standard English verb for the act of repeating sounds or syllables, while “stammer” remained a closely related synonym with subtle nuance in emphasis and regional usage. Modern discourse distinguishes stuttering as a fluency disorder in clinical terms, while still using stutter in everyday speech to describe any momentary disruption.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Stutter" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Stutter"
-ter sounds
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