TEYE-ming
/ˈtaɪmɪŋ/
timing is pronounced TEYE-ming (/ˈtaɪmɪŋ/). Timing refers to the selection or placement of appropriate moments for action, events, or cues. It encompasses the coordination of tempo, rhythm, and synchronization to achieve desired outcomes. In everyday use, timing also implies punctuality or the knack for judging when to act in a given situation.
Timing refers to the selection or placement of appropriate moments for action, events, or cues. It encompasses the coordination of tempo, rhythm, and synchronization to achieve desired outcomes. In everyday use, timing also implies punctuality or the knack for judging when to act in a given situation.
"The timing of the announcement was perfect, catching everyone by surprise at just the right moment."
"Her timing in delivering the punchline made the joke land with maximum impact."
"We adjusted the timing of the release to avoid the weekend crowds."
Pronounce it as /ˈtaɪ.mɪŋ/ in US and UK. Start with the long “i” as in 'time' but with two syllables: TI- (find your tongue high and back, with a rising diphthong /aɪ/) followed by a short /m/ and a nasal /ɪŋ/ cluster. The stress is on the first syllable: TAɪ-. Keep the /t/ sharp, the /aɪ/ as a smooth glide to /m/, then a clear /ɪ/ before the final /ŋ/. In rapid speech, you may hear a brief reduction of the second vowel, but the primary pronunciation remains /ˈtaɪ.mɪŋ/. Audio reference: consider listening to Pronounce or Forvo entry for “timing.”
Common mistakes: misplacing the primary stress as taɪˈmɪŋ or mispronouncing the first syllable as /ti/ rather than /taɪ/. Another error is pronouncing the second syllable with a full vowel like /iː/ as in ‘ting’ rather than a quick /mɪŋ/. To correct: keep /taɪ/ as a diphthong, follow with a short, crisp /m/ then a reduced /ɪŋ/. Practice: isolate the transition /aɪ/ to /m/ with slow repetitions, then speed up while maintaining crisp /t/.
In US/UK/AU, the word is /ˈtaɪ.mɪŋ/. The primary difference is rhoticity and vowel quality: US speakers typically have a stronger /r/ in adjacent words, but for timing the /ˈtaɪ/ remains a fronting diphthong; UK and AU largely share /ˈtaɪ.mɪŋ/ with slightly shorter /ɪ/ and a potentially more clipped /ŋ/ in fast speech. Australians may sound slightly flatter on the first syllable due to broader vowel quality in some regional accents, but the core two-syllable rhythm and primary diphthong /aɪ/ stay consistent. Listening to native samples from Rachel’s English (US), BBC (UK), and Australian sources helps hear subtle differences.
Because it contains a diphthong /aɪ/ followed by a nasal /ŋ/, with precise transition from a voiced alveolar stop /t/ to the nasal /m/ and the velar nasal /ŋ/. The primary stress on the first syllable must be maintained in connected speech, even as tempo changes. In fast talk, the /m/ can merge with the following /ɪ/ to produce a quicker, compressed /mɪŋ/ cluster. The challenge is keeping the two distinct syllables while preserving a crisp onset for /t/ and a clean /ŋ/ at the end. IPA cues and slower practice help anchor the sequence.
Watch the transition from /aɪ/ to /m/. Some learners produce a longer /aɪ/ or fail to release /t/ cleanly before /m/. Ensure the /t/ is released with a light aspiration, then move immediately into /m/ without a vowel intrusion. The final /ŋ/ should be velar and nasalized, not a nasalized vowel. Practicing with minimal pairs like timing vs timer or tine vs timing highlights the boundary: /taɪ/ + /m/ + /ɪŋ/.
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The word timing derives from timing, the act of setting or adjusting the timing of something, from the verb time. Time itself comes from Old English tīma (teame, duration) related to German Zeit and Dutch tijd, with roots in Proto-Germanic *tīmō(n), from the Proto-Indo-European stem *yeh- (to shine, to be bright) in some theories, though the PIE origin of time terms is multifaceted. The modern sense of timing as “the choice of moments” emerged in English in the 17th–18th centuries, tied to clockmaker terminology and performance arts. By the 19th century, ‘timing’ broadened to refer to the correct placement of actions in music, theatre, sports, and operations. First known use in print appears in technical and performance contexts, evolving into a general term for tempo coordination in diverse domains. Over time, timing also took on psychological and strategic connotations—timing as judgment, not just duration. In contemporary usage, timing encompasses both punctuality (timekeeping) and the deft arrangement of events to maximize effect, whether in comedy, film, sports, or project planning.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "timing" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "timing"
-ing sounds
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