SUHN-set
/ˈsʌˌnsɛt/
sunset is pronounced SUHN-set (/ˈsʌˌnsɛt/). Sunset is the daily disappearance of the sun below the horizon, commonly associated with warmer colors and twilight. The term also marks the period of fading daylight and can refer to events or scenes describing the evening sky. In everyday use, it conveys imagery of endings, closure, or transition, often in poetic or descriptive contexts.
Sunset is the daily disappearance of the sun below the horizon, commonly associated with warmer colors and twilight. The term also marks the period of fading daylight and can refer to events or scenes describing the evening sky. In everyday use, it conveys imagery of endings, closure, or transition, often in poetic or descriptive contexts.
"We watched the sunset from the beach, skies ablaze with orange and pink."
"The policy will sunset at the end of the year, after a final review."
"They planned a romantic dinner as the sun set over the city."
SUN-set, stress on SUN (first syllable). IPA: US/UK/AU /ˈsʌnˌsɛt/. Start with a quick, open ah-like vowel in the first syllable, then a crisp /s/ + /ɛ/ in the second; the final /t/ is unaspirated or lightly aspirated depending on the speaker. Keep the mouth slightly rounded for the /ʌ/ and then move to a lax, front-mid /ɛ/ as you release the /t/. Audio reference: listen to native speakers saying “sunset” in phrases.
Two frequent errors: (1) treating it as two separate words with a hard pause: SUN – SET; smooth the transition so it sounds like a single compound word. (2) Mispronouncing the second syllable as /sɛt/ with a heavy t-release; instead, keep a clipped but clean /sɛt/ with final alveolar stop. Practice by saying “sun” then quickly blend into “set” without adding extra syllables. Focus on sustaining the /n/ into the /s/ to maintain fluency.
In most accents, /ˈsʌnˌsɛt/ holds. US speakers may have a slightly more rhotic quality around neighboring words but sunset itself stays with /ʌ/ and /ɛ/ and a crisp /t/. UK and AU speakers align closely, though Australian English might showcase a flatter vowel in /ʌ/ and a softer /t/, sometimes glottaling the /t/ in rapid speech. Overall, the core is the same: SUN-set with a light, quick link between syllables.
For many, the challenge is transitioning smoothly from the nasal /n/ into the /s/ at the start of the second syllable without adding an extra syllable or a pause. Another subtlety is keeping the vowel quality in /ʌ/ and /ɛ/ distinct in rapid speech, especially when talking at speed with other nearby vowel sounds. Practicing with connected speech helps you maintain the natural rhythm and prevent over-articulation or misplacement of the tongue.
The word features a primary stress on the first syllable and a secondary transition into the second syllable through a smooth /n/–/s/ connection. There’s no silent letter; the /n/ is fully pronounced before the /s/ onset. A useful tip is to avoid glottal stopping the /t/ in rapid speech and instead finish with a light alveolar stop, which keeps the word clear and natural.
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Sunset comes from the combination of sun + set, tracing to Old English sunne + settan. The verb set meant to place or put, and sunset originally described the sun setting (going down) as a natural event. Early medieval usage referred to the sun’s setting as the day ended; over time, the noun sunset became the name for the period of dusk and the colorful horizon. The word appears in various Germanic languages with cognate forms, reinforcing a straightforward compounding pattern: the sun (the celestial body) and set (to go down). In literature, references to sunset intensified with Romantic poets who celebrated the day’s end as a moment of reflection and beauty. By the 19th and 20th centuries, sunset expanded into metaphorical usage for endings and transitions in prose and poetry. Today, it remains a common, vivid descriptor in travel, nature writing, and everyday speech, often associated with colors, atmosphere, and emotional tone.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "sunset" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "sunset" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "sunset"
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