3 syllables: Sug, gest, ed. Stress on gest.
suh-JES-tid
/səˈdʒɛstɪd/
Suggested is pronounced suh-JES-tid (/səˈdʒɛstɪd/). It has three syllables (Sug-gest-ed), with the stress on "gest". Suggested is an adjective describing something that is proposed or recommended for consideration. It often appears as a modifier before nouns (e.g., suggested route) and can also function as a participial adjective derived from the verb suggest. In speech, it carries a light secondary stress and typically ends with a voiced alveolar stop approximating -d. Overall, it signals advisory or recommended nature rather than definitiveness.
adjectiveSuggested is an adjective describing something that is proposed or recommended for consideration. It often appears as a modifier before nouns (e.g., suggested route) and can also function as a participial adjective derived from the verb suggest. In speech, it carries a light secondary stress and typically ends with a voiced alveolar stop approximating -d. Overall, it signals advisory or recommended nature rather than definitiveness.
"The committee reviewed the suggested changes before final approval."
"He followed the suggested itinerary for his trip."
"There is a suggested reading list for the course."
You pronounce it as /dʒəˈdʒɛstɪd/. Start with a light, unstressed schwa /ə/ in the first syllable, then the stressed /ˈdʒɛ/ with the /dʒ/ affricate as in judge, followed by /st/ cluster and the final /ɪd/ or /d/ ending. In careful speech, the final -ed can sound like /ɪd/; in faster speech it can reduce to a simple /d/. The primary stress is on the second syllable: /dʒəˈdʒɛstɪd/.
Common errors include pronouncing it as /ˈsʌdʒɛst/ or /səˈdʒɛstɪd/ with the wrong onset on the first syllable, or flattening the /dʒ/ into a /d/ or /j/ sound. Another frequent mistake is misplacing the stress, saying /ˈdʒɛstɪd/ or breaking the /st/ cluster awkwardly. The correct pattern keeps an initial soft /dʒ/ onset that blends with the /ə/ and places primary stress on the second syllable: /dʒəˈdʒɛstɪd/.
In US, UK, and AU accents the core is /dʒəˈdʒɛstɪd/. Rhoticity causes the US to clearly articulate the /r/ only if the following word starts with r or vowel onset; otherwise no rhoticity change. Vowel quality remains similar, but the US speaker may have a slightly higher vowel in /ə/ and a heavier emphasis on the second syllable. In UK and AU, non-rhotic tendencies may soften the r-like /ɹ/ sound; the /dʒ/ onset and /ˈdʒ/ in the second syllable stay consistent. The AU accent can be very close to UK in pronunciation, often with less intention to emphasize the vowel, producing /ɜː/ variants in some speakers when linked quietly. Overall, the vowel in the second syllable remains /ɛ/ for most speakers across three accents, with minor shifts.
The difficulty mainly comes from two features: the initial /dʒ/ blend followed by a light, unstressed /ə/ in the first syllable and the cluster /st/ before the final /ɪd/. The /ɪd/ ending can be reduced to /d/ in fast speech, which changes the cadence and makes the word blend with adjacent words. Additionally, the second syllable carries a clear /ˈɪ/ or /ɛ/ depending on speaker; maintaining accurate vowel height without a flabby jaw takes practice. Practicing minimal pairs helps stabilize the /dʒ/ onset and /st/ cluster, and recording yourself will reveal if you’re softening the /dʒ/ or releasing the /t/ too early.
Yes, this is a common question indeed. In careful pronunciation, the final -ed in suggested is often realized as /ɪd/, forming the syllables /dʒəˈdʒɛs.tɪd/. In rapid or connected speech, the ending may be reduced to a simple /d/, producing /dʒəˈdʒɛstd/ or /dʒəˈdʒɛs.d/. The presence of the /t/ in the /st/ cluster makes it natural to release the /t/ with a brief /d/ sound blending into the final /d/. The key is to manage the /st/ cluster before the /ɪd/ release and avoid replacing /ɪd/ with a pure /d/ in careful speech.
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The word suggested comes from the verb suggest, which derives from the Latin sugerere, formed from sub- (under) and regere (to guide, to rule). The sense evolved through Old French suggest to late Middle English, where it primarily meant to bring forth as a hint or idea indirectly, rather than to propose a formal plan. By the 17th century, suggested began functioning as an adjective meaning ‘put forward or proposed’ in addition to its verb forms. The transition from a verb-predicate role to attributive adjective use occurred as English expanded its participial adjective forms in complex noun phrases, allowing speakers to describe a proposed option in advance of decision-making. In modern usage, suggested often collocates with nouns like changes, route, or reading, and signals that something is not final, but offered for consideration. First known uses appear in English legal and literary texts of the 16th–17th centuries, with broader adoption in general prose by the 18th century, paralleling the growing habit of pre-modifying nouns with past participles and adjectives to convey nuance.
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Words that rhyme with "Suggested"
-ted sounds
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