soo-pur-SEEDZ
/ˌsupɚˈsidz/
supersedes is pronounced soo-pur-SEEDZ (/ˌsupɚˈsidz/). Supersedes is a verb meaning to take the place of something or someone previously in authority or use, often by being more authoritative or newer. It implies replacement or supersession, typically through superior status, authority, or efficacy. In usage, it signals a transition where a prior rule, document, or practice is considered null or obsolete by virtue of its replacement.
Supersedes is a verb meaning to take the place of something or someone previously in authority or use, often by being more authoritative or newer. It implies replacement or supersession, typically through superior status, authority, or efficacy. In usage, it signals a transition where a prior rule, document, or practice is considered null or obsolete by virtue of its replacement.
- You might drop the middle syllable or under-emphasize the /siːdz/. Ensure the middle is a light /pə/ rather than a strong /p/. - Mispronounce the final /dz/ as /z/; make the tongue contact crisp to produce true /dz/. - Treat it as one syllable; keep the three-syllable rhythm: su-per-se-des, with the primary stress on siːdz. - Avoid over-rolling the vowels; aim for clean, clipped start to the word, then elongated final.
"The new policy supersedes the old guidelines."
"When a newer model is released, it often supersedes earlier versions."
"The treaty supersedes the previous agreement on matters of trade."
Pronounce as /ˌsuː.pəˈsiːdz/. Start with 'soo' as in 'soon,' then a weak 'puh' syllable, then 'SEE-dz' with a long 'ee' and a final 'dz' sound. The stress falls on the 'siːdz' portion, giving it prominence. Mouth position: lips relaxed for the first syllable, a light bilabial closure for the /p/ in the middle, and a tense, elongated /iː/ in the final syllable. IPA reference helps anchor the long vowel: /ˌsuː.pəˈsiːdz/.
Common errors include misplacing the stress (saying su-PER-sedes) and omitting the /ə/ in the second syllable, saying /ˈsuː.pər.siːdz/ with full shwa reduction, or not voicing the final /dz/ clearly (it may sound like /z/). Correction: keep secondary stress on the first syllable lightly, use a clear schwa in the middle syllable, and finish with a crisp /dz/ to ensure the final voiced alveolar affricate is audible.
In US English, you commonly hear /ˌsuː.pɚˈsiːdz/, with rhotacized /ɚ/ in the second syllable. UK English tends to keep nonrhotic /ə/ or reduced vowel in the middle and a softer final /dz/; many speakers mark /ˌsuː.pəˈsiːdz/. Australian English is similar to UK/US but may show slightly broader vowel quality in /uː/ and a more pronounced final consonant blend. The stress pattern remains on the last syllable; rhoticity differences affect the middle vowel.
Two main challenges: the long /uː/ in the first syllable blends with a light /p/ in the middle, which can lead to an over-emphasized /p/ or a clipped middle. The second challenge is the final /siːdz/ cluster; ensuring a clear voiced alveolar affricate /dz/ without turning the word into /siːz/ requires precise tongue tip placement and voice onset control. Practice keeps the middle schwa relaxed and the final /dz/ crisp.
The word includes a pronounced shift from a silent-like middle to an emphatic final syllable; the 'per' syllable acts more as a light, unstressed connector. Unique to this term is the transition from a plosive /p/ to a smooth /ə/ in rapid speech; keeping the /p/ audible but not explosive is key, followed by a smooth, elongated /siːdz/.
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- US: /ˌsuː.pɚˈsiːdz/; rhotic middle vowel /ɚ/ may reduce to a schwa in quick speech. - UK: /ˌsjuː.pəˈsiːdz/ or /ˌsuː.pəˈsiːdz/ with non-rhotic nuance; final /dz/ remains. - AU: /ˌsuː.pəˈsiːdz/ with slightly broader vowels; non-rhotic tendencies can shade the middle vowel to a more centralized /ə/. IPA anchors: US /ɚ/, UK /ə/, AU /ə/; practice listening for subtle vowel height and rhotics.
Supersedes comes from the verb supersede, formed in the 16th century from the prefix super- ‘above, beyond’ and suffix -sede from Latin sedere ‘to sit’ (as in assume, sediment). The Latin root sedeo means ‘to sit,’ and supersede originally conveyed the sense of sitting above or replacing something in position of authority or precedence. The term appears in English legal and administrative language in the early modern period, often relating to the replacement of laws, rules, or precedents by newer instruments. Over time, supersede broadened from formal, official replacement to general meaning of replacing or overruling. The evolution mirrors shifts in governance and regulatory practices, where older rules are deemed less applicable after new directives are issued. In contemporary use, it retains a strong, almost definitive nuance: something has risen in authority or efficacy and thereby pushes the former framework aside. First known uses appear in the 1500s with legal and governmental documents, gradually expanding into common usage as technologies, standards, and policies evolve and require clear signaling of replacement or superiority.
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Words that rhyme with "supersedes"
-eds sounds
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