THER-uh-pists
/ˈθɛɹəpɪsts/
therapists is pronounced THER-uh-pists (/ˈθɛɹəpɪsts/). Therapists are professionals who assess, diagnose, and treat mental, emotional, and behavioral issues through talk therapy and evidence-based techniques. They typically work in clinical, school, or community settings, guiding clients toward healthier patterns of thinking and behavior. This plural noun refers to multiple practitioners in the field of psychotherapy and counseling.
Therapists are professionals who assess, diagnose, and treat mental, emotional, and behavioral issues through talk therapy and evidence-based techniques. They typically work in clinical, school, or community settings, guiding clients toward healthier patterns of thinking and behavior. This plural noun refers to multiple practitioners in the field of psychotherapy and counseling.
- You might substitute /θ/ with /f/ or /t/ at the start. Practice with a ready mouth and a light touch of air to avoid labiodental error. - The middle syllable often becomes a reduced schwa; ensure you don’t turn it into /i/ or /ɪ/ in a way that tilts the rhythm. - Final /sts/ can be softened to /st/ or pronounced as /ps/; aim for a clean alveolar /t/ release into /s/ to preserve the final s sound.
"The therapists collaborated to develop a new cognitive-behavioral plan for the client."
"During training, therapists discussed ethical guidelines and confidentiality standards."
"The clinic hired several therapists to expand its outreach programs."
Say /ˈθer.ə.pɪsts/ (US/UK). Start with the voiceless TH sound, then a schwa in the second syllable, and end with /pɪsts/ containing a 'p' release into /ɪ/ followed by /sts/. Stress falls on the first syllable. You’ll want a crisp /θ/ and a clear /t/ before the final /s/. Audio reference: try listening to pronunciation tools or dictionaries with audio clips for confirmation.
Common errors include misplacing stress (e.g., /ˈθɛrəpɪsts/ with awkward vowel changes) and conflating /ˈθɜːr/ or mispronouncing the middle syllable as a pure /ə/ rather than a faithful schwa. Another mistake is turning the final -ists into /-ɪsts/-“ist” as in “therapistes” or dropping the final /s/ too soon. Correct by practicing the sequence TH-ER-uh-PISTS with a focused /ɪ/ in the last syllable and a crisp /t/ before /s/.
In US/UK, the initial /θ/ is unvoiced and aspirated, with a strong /ˈθer/ onset. The middle vowel is a reduced /ə/ (schwa) in many accents. Australians may have a slightly different vowel in the first syllable and a less tense /ɪ/ in the final syllable. Overall, rhoticity is low-contrast in UK, so /ˈθer.ə.pɪsts/ may have a shorter /r/ coloring. The final /sts/ cluster remains complex across accents.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster /pɪsts/ right before the final /s/, requiring precise release timing and a short, tense final s. The middle syllable uses a brief schwa, which can be swallowed or elongated. The initial /θ/ also demands careful tongue position near the teeth and a breath-driven fricative rather than a hard /t/ or /d/. Mastery comes from practicing the sequence TH-er-uh-pists with a steady rhythm and clear final consonant.
A key feature is the tension contrast between the alveolar plosive /p/ and the elongated /ɪ/ in the penultimate syllable, creating /ˈθer.ə.pɪsts/. Some speakers voice the /t/ slightly more to connect the /p/ onset and /s/ release, resulting in a smoother transition. Paying attention to the /ɪ/ quality in /pɪsts/ helps avoid turning it into /piːst/ or /pɪs/.
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- US: clearly pronounces final /sts/ with a crisp /t/ release before /s/; the /ɜɔ/ vowel in US may be more open than in UK. - UK: rhoticity is weaker; the /r/ is non-rhotic; keep the /ə/ for second syllable and a shorter /ɪ/ in the third. - AU: vowel quality slightly more centralized, but maintain /θ/ fricative and the /t/ release. Reference IPA for each: US /ˈθer.ə.pɪsts/, UK /ˈθer.ə.pɪsts/, AU /ˈθɛr.ə.pɪsts/.
Therapist derives from the Greek therapeutes meaning “one who attends to a patient” from therapeuein “to attend to, cure,” itself from therapeuein “to wait upon, nurse,” with the Proto-Indo-European root tere- meaning ‘to nourish, support.’ In English, therapist distinguished from physician in the 1800s and gained broader use in the 20th century as a professional label for mental health practitioners delivering talk-based interventions. The plural therapists follows standard -s pluralization used for professions ending in -ist when referring to multiple people. First known usage in English appears in medical and psychological literature of the late 19th to early 20th century, aligning with the growth of modern psychotherapy and counselling movements.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "therapists" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "therapists" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "therapists"
-ers sounds
-sts sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
