tem-TAY-shuhn
/tɛˈmteɪʃən/
temptation is pronounced tem-TAY-shuhn (/tɛˈmteɪʃən/). Temptation refers to the urge or incentive to do something, typically something undesirable or prohibited. It can also describe the object or factor that induces such an urge. In psychology and everyday speech, temptation often implies a test of self-control or a morally yielding moment.
Temptation refers to the urge or incentive to do something, typically something undesirable or prohibited. It can also describe the object or factor that induces such an urge. In psychology and everyday speech, temptation often implies a test of self-control or a morally yielding moment.
- Keep the /pt/ cluster crisp. Many learners either drop the /t/ after /p/ or don’t fully release the /t/, producing tem-peshən. Fix by saying ‘pt’ together: /pt/ with a brief explosion, then glide into the /eɪ/ without delaying consonants. - Mispronounce the middle vowel: some say /tɛmˌpɪˈeɪʃən/ or /tɛmˈpɪˌteɪʃən/. Correct by practicing /ˈpt eɪ/ sequence, holding the /eɪ/ long enough before /ʃən/. - Final syllable confusion: ending as /ən/ or /ən/ without the /ʃ/; ensure you land on /ʃən/ for a clean coda. Use minimal pairs to fix: tempt vs temple, motion vs notion. - In fast speech, reduce the second syllable too much; keep the nucleus /eɪ/ prominent. - Mouth position errors: keep the tongue just behind the upper teeth for /t/ and release with a light burst; avoid pulling the tongue back into /d/ or /t/ blends.
"She felt a powerful temptation to skip work and stay in bed."
"The lure of delicious sweets presented a daily temptation."
"Religious texts warn that resisting temptation tests character."
In US/UK/AU, it’s pronounced with three syllables: /tɛmˈpteɪ.ʃən/ in broad IPA. The primary stress lands on the second syllable: tem-PTAY-shən. Start with /t/ then /ɛm/ (short e as in 'bet'), move to a light /p/ + /t/ cluster that blends into /eɪ/ (as in 'late'), then /ʃən/ for the final syllable. Think of a quick, crisp onset for 'temp-' and a smooth 'ation' ending. You can listen to authoritative pronunciations on Forvo or Cambridge Audio for precise mouth posture.
Common errors include misplacing the /t/ cluster and mispronouncing the middle vowel. Some speakers reduce /pt/ to a simpler /p/ or drop the /t/ altogether, yielding tem-ˈeɪ-ʃən. Others mispronounce the /eɪ/ vowel as a short /e/ or slip into /ə/. Correction: keep the /pt/ cluster realizable as a crisp /p/ immediately followed by a light /t/, ensure the stressed syllable carries a clear /eɪ/ (not /ɪ/), and finish with a clear /ʃən/. Practice with a mirror to monitor lip movement and use minimal pairs to reinforce the middle vowel quality.
US tends to be rhotic and may have a slightly tense /eɪ/ in the second syllable, producing /təˈmpt(eɪ)ʃən/ with a quicker onset cluster. UK pronunciation favors a more clipped, non-rhotic /ɜː/ in some speakers and can have a slightly longer 'tempt' onset, while AU often merges some vowels toward /ə/ in informal speech, with the /eɪ/ still present but lightly realized. Across all, the main variance is in the middle vowel and the speed of the /pt/ cluster, not in the overall syllable count or final /ən/.
The difficulty centers on the /pt/ cluster transitioning into a diphthong /eɪ/ and the unstressed final /ən/. Many speakers do not fully enunciate the /p/ and /t/ in sequence, softening the cluster, or shorten the /eɪ/ to a lax /e/ in rapid speech. Also, the combination of t- and -tion endings can blur, resulting in tem-ʃən or tem-ɪʃən. Focus on maintaining the crisp /pt/ and the long /eɪ/ before the /ʃ/ to secure accurate timing and rhythm.
As a word with three syllables, you’ll often see the middle syllable carry the primary stress in connected speech. In some contexts, especially rapid or informal speech, the /pt/ may reduce to an unreleased or lightly released sound. The key unique point is sustaining the /eɪ/ vowel as you move into /ʃən/, avoiding an overly reduced ending like /ən/ without the /ʃ/. This elicits natural tempo and helps clarity in fast dialogue.
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- US: Rhotic, maintain a strong /r/ only when spelled; for temptation, no /r/; focus on clear /t/ and /p/ release. Clarity comes from a crisp /pt/ cluster before /eɪ/. - UK: May be slightly clipped; practice a sharper /t/ release with a shorter /eɪ/; often less vowel length variation in the second syllable. - AU: Tendency toward vowel smoothing; may reduce /eɪ/ toward /e/ or schwa-ish; keep it distinct with a mid-to-high tongue position. IPA anchors: /təˈmpteɪʃən/ US; /təˈmpteɪʃən/ UK; /təˈmpteɪʃən/ AU; practice with careful /pt/ release and /eɪ/ onset escalation. - Commonly, the second syllable can be produced with a lighter nucleus; emphasize the /eɪ/ to preserve rhythm. - General tip: treat /pt/ as a single coherent onset cluster; avoid inserting extra vowels between /p/ and /t/.
Temptation comes from the Latin tentāre, meaning 'to try, to attempt,' via Old French tenter and the noun tentātiō. The verb temptāre evolved into temptation in Middle English through Old French temptacioun, retaining the core idea of trying or testing. The sense expanded from ‘an attempt’ to the specific moral or psychological pull toward a desired action, especially one that is wrong or forbidden. Early uses in religious and moral contexts framed temptation as a test of virtue, later generalized to secular desires. First known use in English is attested in the 14th century, with the modern sense of ‘a desire to do something wrong’ becoming clearer in the 15th–16th centuries as moral discourse intensified. Over time, the word acquired connotations of seduction by allure, temptation as a persuasive force, and even as a subject for literary exploration of free will and human weakness.
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Words that rhyme with "temptation"
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