TAM-pur-ing
/ˈtæmpɚɪŋ/
tampering is pronounced TAM-pur-ing (/ˈtæmpɚɪŋ/). Tampering refers to secretly altering or manipulating something, especially to cause harm or mislead. It implies interference that changes the intended outcome, often with deceitful intent, and typically carries a cautionary or illegal connotation. The term is commonly used in legal, security, and quality-control contexts to describe unauthorized modification or sabotage.
Tampering refers to secretly altering or manipulating something, especially to cause harm or mislead. It implies interference that changes the intended outcome, often with deceitful intent, and typically carries a cautionary or illegal connotation. The term is commonly used in legal, security, and quality-control contexts to describe unauthorized modification or sabotage.
"The inspectors suspected tampering with the laboratory samples."
"Security footage showed tampering with the lock."
"Allegations of tampering with election results led to a lengthy investigation."
Tampering is stressed on the second syllable: ta-MPER-ing. In US and UK IPA: /təˈmpe(ɚ)ɪŋ/ (US) or /təˈmpærɪŋ/ (UK). The first syllable is a schwa plus a t sound, the second syllable centers on /ˈmpe/ with a short vowel and lightly released /r/ in American speech before the -ing suffix. Keep the final -ing as a reduced, but audible, /ɪŋ/ in careful speech. Listening: you’ll hear a clear secondary peak on the second syllable in careful speech.
Common mistakes include misplacing the stress (saying ta-MPER-ing with first-syllable stress), pronouncing /ə/ as a full vowel in the first syllable, or misrendering the /mp/ cluster as /mb/ or /mp/ with an overly released /p/. Correction: keep a weak initial /ə/ or /ɪ/ in the first syllable and fully articulate the /mp/ sequence before the /ær/ or /er/ portion. Practice by saying ta- and then quickly but distinctly /ˈmpe/ then the -ring segment as /ɪŋ/. Use minimal pairs to fix vowel and consonant timing.
In US, you’ll hear /təˈmpeɚɪŋ/ with rhotacized /ɚ/ in the second syllable and a more pronounced /r/. UK tends toward /təˈmpærɪŋ/ with non-rhotic /r/ and tighter /æ/ in the second syllable. Australian English often shows /təˈmæp(ə)ŋ/ or /təˈmpæɹɪŋ/ with a short, flat /æ/ and a weaker rhoticity. Variants also shift vowel quality and intonation, but the essential stress on the second syllable remains. Pay attention to rhoticity, vowel closings, and the /mp/ cluster across these varieties.
Tampering challenges you with a tricky /mp/ consonant cluster followed by a clipped /ər/ or /ɚ/ before /ɪŋ/. The mid-stressed second syllable requires precise timing: produce /m/ then glide into a compact /p/ and /eɪ/ or /æ/ depending on accent, then a soft /ɹ/ or non-rhotic /ə/ before the final /ŋ/. The sequence demands precise tongue position and air pressure to avoid an extra vowel or an intrusive /r/ in non-rhotic accents.
Tampering has no silent letters—each letter contributes to the sound. The challenge is coordinating the /t/ at word onset with the /ə/ reduction, then the /mp/ cluster and the final /ɪŋ/. In careful speech, you’ll clearly articulate the /m/ and /p/ without inserting an additional vowel between them, and you’ll avoid over-articulating the -ing suffix. IPA guidance helps: /təˈmpeɚɪŋ/ (US) vs /təˈmpærɪŋ/ (UK), but the key is maintaining the two-syllable rhythm and strong second-stress.
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Tampering derives from the noun tamper, meaning to meddle with or alter something in a fraudulent or improper way. The root likely traces to Middle English tampen, meaning to press down or pack, which evolved into tamper in the sense of meddling or interfering. Over time, tamper took on broader figurative usage related to deceitful alterations or unauthorized interference. The late 19th to early 20th century marks its rise in modern English usage, particularly in legal and technical jargon (eg, tampering with evidence, tampering with data). The suffix -ing creates the present participle form tampering, used to describe ongoing action. First known uses appear in legal and investigative texts from the 1800s, with the sense solidifying through 20th-century media and law enforcement reporting.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "tampering" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "tampering" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "tampering"
-ing sounds
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