SIN-uh-gawgz
/ˈsɪnəˌɡɔɡz/
synagogues is pronounced SIN-uh-gawgz (/ˈsɪnəˌɡɔɡz/). Synagogues are Jewish houses of worship and communal centers where prayer, study, and social events take place. The plural form signals multiple such buildings or congregations. The term combines religious function with community space and has deep cultural and historical resonance in Jewish life and diaspora communities.
Synagogues are Jewish houses of worship and communal centers where prayer, study, and social events take place. The plural form signals multiple such buildings or congregations. The term combines religious function with community space and has deep cultural and historical resonance in Jewish life and diaspora communities.
"We visited synagogues around the city to learn about different congregational customs."
"Several synagogues in the neighborhood offer Hebrew classes and youth programs."
"During the festival, communities opened their synagogues for open lectures and celebrations."
Pronounce as /ˈsɪnəˌɡɒɡˌjuːz/ (UK) or /ˈsɪnəˌɡɑːɡˌjuːz/ (US typical variant). Primary stress on SY, secondary on GA, final -ues sounds like -uz. Mouth: start with a clear s, short i, then a light n, then GA-go-ubes with a soft g, then a long uː before z. IPA helps keep the final s crisp. You'll hear some speakers reduce vowels in the middle to /ə/ sounds in casual speech, but keep the /ɡjuː/ cluster intact for clarity.
Common errors include saying /ˈsɪnəɡɒɡz/ or /ˈsɪnəɡɒɡəz/, misplacing the stress, or merging -gjuːz into -ɡəz. Correct by maintaining the /ɡjuː/ sequence before the final z, and stressing the first syllable and the “gog” portion: /ˈsɪnəˌɡɒɡˌjuːz/. Practice chunking: /ˈsɪnə/ + /ˈɡɒɡ/ + /juːz/. Avoid shrinking the middle vowels into a single schwa unless in rapid, casual speech.
US tends to have /ˈsɪnəˌɡɒɡˌjuːz/ with a rhotic r influence in connected speech and clear /juː/ before z. UK commonly yields /ˈsɪnəˌɡɒɡˌjuːz/ with non-rhotic r-like quality and heavier syllable separation. Australian often aligns with UK patterns but may show a more rounded /ɒ/ and slightly quicker tempo; expect reduced vowels in rapid speech, yet the /ɡjuː/ cluster remains distinct. Consistent /ˈsɪnəˌɡɒɡjuːz/ is a safe target across varieties.
Difficult because of the three-syllable sequence /sɪnəˈɡɒɡjuːz/ including a tricky /ɡjuː/ cluster and consonant-vowel transitions, plus potential vowel reductions in rapid speech. The second syllable’s /ɡɒɡ/ and the /juː/ before z require precise tongue positioning: a velar stop followed by a high back rounded vowel plus a y-glide. Keeping stress on the first and maintaining the /ɡjuː/ cluster prevents mispronunciations like /ˈsɪnəɡɒɡz/.
A key fact is the distinct /juː/ glide before the final /z/, forming the /ɡjuːz/ sequence; do not reduce /juː/ to /u/ or /ju/ to /jʊ/. Also ensure the middle /ɡ/ is a clear velar stop, not a soft sound. Emphasize the initial /ˈsɪnə/ syllable pair, then a crisp /ɡɒɡ/ and final /juːz/ for accurate, natural pronunciation across variants.
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- US: rhotic influence; keep the /ɪ/ in the first syllable crisp, and ensure the /juː/ before the final z is pronounced as a clear glide; /ɒ/ often backed and rounded. - UK: more non-rhotic; emphasize the /juː/ and ensure the /ɡ/ before /juː/ is clean; vowels can be more open-fronted in stressed syllables. - AU: similar to UK with a tendency for slightly lighter vowel sounds; keep /ɪ/ distinct and preserve /juː/ to avoid merging with /uː/. IPA references help: /ˈsɪnəˌɡɒɡjuːz/.
Synagogues derives from the Greek word synagōgē (syn- ‘together’ + agōgē ‘assembly’ or ‘congregation’). The term was used in Jewish Greek-speaking communities in antiquity to denote a gathering of people for worship or instruction. Early Hebrew terms for Jewish houses of prayer include mikdash and beth tefila, but by the Hellenistic and later medieval periods, the Greek-derived synagogē entered into many languages to name the building or institution. In English, synagogues appeared in the 16th-17th centuries as Jewish communities settled in Europe and later in the Americas, retaining the root idea of an assembly or meeting place. The plural form synagogues follows English pluralization, with the stress typically on the first syllable: SYN-uh-gog- maz (though regional pronunciations vary). The word’s semantic scope expanded from mere meeting places to include culturally and liturgically specific spaces where prayer services, Torah study, religious instruction, and community events occur. Today, synagogues continue to serve as multi-use centers for Jewish life, reflecting tradition while adapting to contemporary communal needs.
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Words that rhyme with "synagogues"
-ues sounds
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