suh-SPEKT
/səˈspɛkt/
suspect is pronounced suh-SPEKT (/səˈspɛkt/). Suspect is a versatile word with two primary pronunciations and meanings: as a noun or adjective, it refers to someone believed to be involved in wrongdoing; as a verb, it means to have an idea or feeling that something may be true. The noun/adjective stress is typically on the first syllable (SUS-pect), while the verb form stresses the second syllable (sus-PECT). These shifts affect meaning, syntax, and rhythm in sentences.
Suspect is a versatile word with two primary pronunciations and meanings: as a noun or adjective, it refers to someone believed to be involved in wrongdoing; as a verb, it means to have an idea or feeling that something may be true. The noun/adjective stress is typically on the first syllable (SUS-pect), while the verb form stresses the second syllable (sus-PECT). These shifts affect meaning, syntax, and rhythm in sentences.
"The police suspect he may be involved in the theft."
"Several suspects were questioned by the investigators."
"Her behavior made him suspect she was hiding something."
US/UK/AU pronunciations share the same two-pronunciation pattern: noun/adjective SUS-pect with primary stress on the first syllable (ˈsəˌspekt in US; UK often ˈsʌspekt for the noun), and verb sus-PECT with secondary stress on the second syllable (səˈspekt). In careful speech you’ll hear the first syllable as a light 'suh' or 'sus' and the second as an emphasized 'pekt' or 'pect'. IPA: US noun: ˈsəˌspekt, US verb: səbˈspekt; UK noun: ˈsʌspɛkt, UK verb: səbˈspɛkt. Mouth position centers the tongue between alveolar and velar areas, with a short 'uh' or 'uh' vowel in the first syllable and a crisp 'pekt' consonant cluster ending. Audio resources: Pronounce, YouGlish, Forvo for natural regional realizations.
Two frequent errors: 1) Treating SUS-pect as a single stressed syllable or misplacing the stress on the second syllable in the noun form, making it sound like a verb; 2) Mispronouncing the final 'pt' cluster as 'p-t' with a strong release, instead of the smoother 'pekt' blend. Correction: keep the first syllable light (schwa or lax æ) and stress the second syllable in the verb, producing s-uh-SPEKT. Practice with minimal pairs and slow repetition to solidify the two forms and ensure the consonant blend ends with a clear 'kt' release.
In American English, the noun SUS-pect typically has a reduced first syllable and a prominent second syllable in the verb form; rhoticity is standard, and the vowel in the first syllable tends toward a schwa or a near-front lax vowel. In British English, the noun often leans toward a short high front vowel in the first syllable, and the rhoticity is non-rhotic in many accents, which can slightly alter the vowel quality. Australian English tends to have a broad initial vowel and a clear 'kt' at the end, with similar stress patterns but slightly different vowel quality due to Australian vowel shifts. Overall, the main variation is vowel quality in the first syllable and the perceived strength of the first syllable consonants.” ,
It hinges on the dual-stress pattern that toggles meaning: SUS-pect as a noun/adjective vs sus-PECT as a verb. The challenge is maintaining a light first syllable while giving the second syllable strong energy, especially in rapid speech. The final 'pt' cluster can be tricky; many non-native speakers insert a vowel between 'p' and 't' or soften it. Additionally, vowel quality in the first syllable varies by accent, so you need to manage subtle vowel shifts while preserving the crisp final consonant. focus on exact IPA targets: US noun: ˈsəˌspekt; US verb: səbˈspekt.
A distinctive feature is the two-pronunciation system that changes the word's role. The noun/adjective SUS-pect uses a lighter first syllable and a less intense second syllable, while the verb sus-PECT reverses the emphasis. This pattern is not unique to suspect but is a classic example of noun-verb stress shift in English. Practicing both forms helps you sound natural in contexts like reporting vs narration; you’ll hear the contrast in courtroom, police briefs, and news segments, where precise stress signals the word’s function.
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Suspect originates from the Latin suspectus, past participle of suspicere, meaning ’to regard with suspicion’ from sub- (under) + specere (to look). It entered English via Old French as suspect or suspiect, retaining a sense of doubt or mistrust. The word originally emphasized the act of looking at someone with doubt; over time, English expanded its grammatical uses: as a noun referring to a person under suspicion, as an adjective describing doubtful behavior, and as a verb meaning to doubt or think likely. The shift in pronunciation between noun/adjective SUS-pect and verb sus-PECT reflects English stress-timing and the semantic load of the two forms. First known uses in Middle English (14th–15th centuries) appear in legal and investigative texts, where suspects and suspicion were central; later, the verb form with stress shift became common in everyday usage, particularly in American and British English. In modern usage, the noun/adjective form is common in formal reporting, while the verb form dominates in everyday talk and journalism, often with stress retraction to mark the action of doubting or considering likely. The evolution mirrors a broader English pattern where stress shifts signal grammatical function and nuance, a feature that remains productive in contemporary pronunciation and sentence rhythm.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "suspect" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "suspect" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "suspect"
-ect sounds
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