4 syllables: Sub, lim, a, tion. Stress on a.
suh-blim-AY-shuhn
/ˌsəb.lɪˈmeɪ.ʃən/
Sublimation is pronounced suh-blim-AY-shuhn (/ˌsəb.lɪˈmeɪ.ʃən/). It has four syllables (Sub-lim-a-tion), with the stress on "a". Sublimation is the process by which a solid substance changes directly into a gas, bypassing the liquid phase. In psychology, it refers to channeling instinctual impulses into socially acceptable activities. The term can also describe the purification or refinement of something by removing impurities.
nounSublimation is the process by which a solid substance changes directly into a gas, bypassing the liquid phase. In psychology, it refers to channeling instinctual impulses into socially acceptable activities. The term can also describe the purification or refinement of something by removing impurities.
How to Pronounce Sublimation
"The dry ice shows sublimation as it turns from a solid to a vapor in the cold room."
"In chemistry, sublimation is exploited to separate compounds with different sublimation points."
"Her creative outlet was a sublimation of her restlessness into art and writing."
Break it as sə-ˌblɪ-ˈmeɪ-ʃən. Primary stress is on the third syllable: -meɪ-. Start with a relaxed 's' sound, then a light 'sub' with a schwa-ish 'u' (ə), glide into 'bli' as a short 'blih', then 'ma' with a clear /eɪ/ before the final 'tion' pronounced as -ʃən. IPA: US sə-ˌblɪ-mā-ʃən; UK sə-ˌblɪ-mā-ʃən; AU sə-ˌblɪ-mā-ʃən.
Two frequent errors: misplacing the stress on the second syllable or blending the 'blɪ' into a hard 'bli' without a clear schwa. Also, speakers sometimes pronounce -mation as -mashn or -meɪʃn. Correct by ensuring the /məɪ/ cluster has a pure /eɪ/ vowel and a light, unstressed preceding schwa in the first syllables, with a crisp /ʃən/ ending.
US: /ˌsəblɪˈmeɪʃən/ with strong /eɪ/ in the stressed syllable and rhoticity often present in connected speech. UK: /ˌsəb.lɪˈmeɪ.ʃən/ with non-rhoticity in careful speech; vowel qualities may be slightly shorter. AU: similar to US, but with broader vowels; the final -tion tends to be an explicit /-ʃən/ rather than /-ʃn/ in faster speech. Overall, stress pattern remains terti-syllabic, but vowel length and rhotic coloring vary.
Because it mixes a multi-syllabic structure with a diphthong and a consonant cluster. The /blɪ/ sequence challenges English learners to maintain a light, quick schwa before a clear /eɪ/ diphthong, followed by a soft -ʃən ending. The key difficulty is keeping the leading unstressed syllables relaxed while delivering a crisp, stressed -meɪ- and a precise -ʃən ending.
The first 'b' is pronounced as a voiced bilabial stop [b] after the initial 'sb' cluster is simplified in rapid speech; articulate /b/ in 'sub' as a brief, light release before the /l/; in careful speech you’ll hear a fully pronounced /b/.
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Sublimation derives from the Latin sub- ‘under, up from beneath’ and -liminare, meaning ‘to leap, leap up, to leap up from a base.’ The rooted idea is a movement from a lower state to a higher one, bypassing an intermediate stage. In scientific usage, the term appeared in 16th- to 17th-century European chemistry and physics texts, where researchers noticed certain substances changing directly from solid to gas under specific conditions of temperature and pressure. The sense of purification or refinement later extended into psychology (early 20th century) to describe redirecting base impulses into productive outlets. First known uses appear in chemical manuals and natural philosophy writings, with notable early references in discussions of phase transitions and the behavior of solids under low pressure. Over time, sublimation acquired a dual technical meaning (physical phase change) and metaphorical meaning (refined or elevated transformation), which persists in modern scientific and psychological discourse.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Sublimation" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Sublimation"
-ion sounds
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