suhk-SES-uhz
/səˈksɛsəz/
successes is pronounced suhk-SES-uhz (/səˈksɛsəz/). Successes refers to multiple successful outcomes or results. It is the plural form of success, used to describe a collection of favorable achievements rather than a single win. The word emphasizes instances where goals were reached across various endeavors.
Successes refers to multiple successful outcomes or results. It is the plural form of success, used to describe a collection of favorable achievements rather than a single win. The word emphasizes instances where goals were reached across various endeavors.
- You may over-articulate the final -es as /-iz/ or /-əs/; instead target /-ɪz/ to mark plurality clearly. - Risk of stressing the wrong syllable; the natural stress is on the second syllable: sək-ˈses-ɪz; rehearse with slow tempo to feel the beat. - Slurring the middle consonant cluster /kˈs/; practice with careful timing: /k/ followed by a crisp /s/ to maintain the boundary between /ses/ and /ɪz/.
"Despite several attempts, the team celebrated the successes of their new strategy."
"The report highlights the successes and challenges faced during the pilot program."
"Her academic successes included high grades and research publications."
Pronounce as /səkˈses.ɪz/. The word has three syllables: schwa + k-SET? Wait: actual: sək-ˈses-ɪz. Start with a reduced first syllable 'su' sounding as a quick schwa, then stressed second syllable 'ces' /ˈses/, followed by the final /ɪz/ for the plural suffix. In careful speech you hear: sək-ˈses-ɪz; in fast speech, the initial schwa may reduce further to a quick 'suh', and the middle /k/ can be slightly integrated with the following /s/.
Common errors: 1) Misplacing stress, giving stress to the first syllable as in 'SU-cess-es' instead of the standard secondary stress on the second syllable. 2) Over-articulating the final -es as /z/ or /s/ instead of /ɪz/. 3) Slurring the middle /k/ into /s/ or starting the second syllable with an unclear vowel. Correction: practice in isolation with the sequence sək-ˈses-ɪz, exaggerate the mid syllable to establish the /ˈses/ cluster, then relax into natural linked speech. Practicing minimal pairs helps cement the correct vowel and consonant timings.
US/UK/AU share /sə(k)ˈsesɪz/ with a small vowel shift fronting. US tends to a slightly tighter /ˈses/ mid-vowel quality and rhotic influence surfaces in connected speech; UK often has more non-rhotic articulation; AU keeps a bright vowel in /ˈses/ with slight vowel lengthening before /ɪz/. All maintain the secondary stress on the second syllable; ultimate -ɪz/ is common. Focus on the middle /e/ as /eɪ/ variant only in certain dialectical emphasis; otherwise keep /ˈses/ clearly distinguished from /sɛs-/. IPA guides: US /səˈkɛs.ɪz/ could be observed in some dialects, but standard is /səkˈses.ɪz/.
The difficulty lies in balancing the schwa-heavy onset with a clear, stressed syllable on the second unit. The sequence su-cc-ess-es requires quick, precise coordination: a fast, light initial schwa, a distinct /ˈses/ middle vowel-consonant cluster, and a final /ɪz/. Many speakers run the sounds together, turning /ses/ into /sɛs/ or /sɪs/. Paying attention to the transition from the unaccented first syllable to the stressed second, and ensuring the -es ends as /ɪz/ rather than an unreleased /s/ or /z/, is essential.
Typically no; the second syllable /ˈses/ uses a short, pure /e/ vowel in most accents, not a diphthong. The final -es is /ɪz/, not /iːz/. Some speakers may slightly lengthen the /e/ or reduce the vowel in fast speech, but the canonical pronunciation remains three clear syllables with a strong second-syllable peak.
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- US: rhoticity in connected speech can color vowels lightly; practice the transition from /ə/ to /ˈses/ with clear lip rounding, then /ɪz/. - UK: non-rhotic tendencies mean less r-coloring; the central vowel remains neutral; keep the /e/ crisp and the /ɪz/ final. - AU: tends to a brighter vowel in /e/ and a tendency toward flatter intonation; keep /ˈses/ precise and the final /ɪz/ short but audible. IPA anchors: /səˈkɛsɪz/ or /səˈkɛs.ɪz/ as acceptable alternatives depending on speaker. - General tip: link to the next word with a light schwa in fast speech; avoid releasing every consonant too hard.
The word successes comes from the noun success, deriving from the Old French sucees (later succès) from Latin successus, from succedere ‘to come after, follow’. In Latin, successus combines sub- ‘under/after’ with cedere ‘to go or yield’, conveying the idea of a proceeding outcome or achievement. The plural form successes appeared in English by the 15th-16th centuries as the word was used in contexts describing multiple favorable outcomes rather than a single victory. Over time, the spelling stabilized to the modern -es plural suffix. The semantics broadened from “the result of an action” to “multiple favorable results,” including varied domains such as business, academics, and personal endeavors. The suffix -es serves as the standard plural ending in English for nouns ending in -s, -x, -z, or -ch with phonetic changes affecting pronunciation in connected speech. The word has maintained a formal tone in many contexts, often used in reports, evaluations, and discussions of performance. In contemporary usage, successes can imply collective outcomes across programs, projects, or time periods, and may be contrasted with failures or setbacks in analytic discourse.
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Words that rhyme with "successes"
-ses sounds
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