TOH-tuhld
/ˈtoʊtəld/
totaled is pronounced TOH-tuhld (/ˈtoʊtəld/). Totaled is a verb meaning to add up all the numbers in a set and record the final sum, or to consider or become something as a total. In US usage it’s common in financial or mathematical contexts, and in everyday speech it can describe something being damaged beyond repair (as in a car being totaled). The form can also function as an adjective in phrases like totaled loss.
Totaled is a verb meaning to add up all the numbers in a set and record the final sum, or to consider or become something as a total. In US usage it’s common in financial or mathematical contexts, and in everyday speech it can describe something being damaged beyond repair (as in a car being totaled). The form can also function as an adjective in phrases like totaled loss.
"The accountant totaled the quarterly expenses to see the year-end numbers."
"After the crash, the car was totaled and had to be written off."
"She totaled the receipts and found a small discrepancy in the totals."
pronounce as /təˈtɔːld/ in US and /təˈtɔːld/ in UK; with stress on the second syllable (to-TAL-ed). The first syllable sounds like ‘toh’ with a schwa, the second syllable carries primary stress and uses the long ‘aw’ vowel before the final /ld/ cluster. In American speech, you may hear a lighter /d/ or even a flap before the /l/ in rapid speech; enunciate clearly for formal contexts. Audio reference: listen for the /ˈtɔː/ or /ˈtɔːl/ vowel before the /d/.” ,
Common mistakes include misplacing the stress (saying to-TAL-ed with the stress on the first syllable) and mispronouncing the vowel in the second syllable as a short ‘a’ or a neutral /ə/; another pitfall is softening the final /ld/ into /l/ or /d/ without the correct coda. To correct: emphasize the second syllable with /ˈtɔːld/; ensure you land the /l/ and then release into a clear /d/ without L-dropping. Practice by isolating the /ɔː/ vowel before the /ld/ cluster and keep the tongue at the alveolar ridge for /l/ and for /d/ follow through with a crisp stop.” ,
In US English, the vowel in the stressed syllable often has back quality as in /ˈtɔːld/ with rhotic r-coloring on surrounding vowels not present; UK English uses /təˈtɔːld/ with non-rhotic influence and a longer second syllable vowel; Australian English tends toward /təˈtoːld/ with a broader diphthong in the first syllable and a clipped final /ld/. The /ɔː/ or /oː/ vowel tends to be tenser and longer in British and Australian varieties; rhoticity affects the surrounding vowels but not the core /t/–/ɔː/–/ld/ sequence.” ,
The difficulty often lies in the conjunction of a stressed bi-morphemic word with a final consonant cluster /ld/. You must maintain the strong vowel in the stressed syllable while ensuring the /l/ is clearly articulated before the /d/; it’s easy to blur the /l/ with the preceding vowel if you’re not careful. The sequence /ɔːld/ requires a firm tongue position on the alveolar ridge, a precise tongue- tip contact for /d/, and avoiding a quick, muted ending. In some accents, the vowel before /ld/ can drift toward a tense /ɒ/ or /ɔː/ depending on dialect, which user may mispronounce.” ,
A unique aspect is the consonant cluster /ld/ immediately after a long back vowel /ɔː/ (or near /ɔ/). The transition from the vowel to the alveolar liquid /l/ and voiceless alveolar stop /d/ requires careful timing so the /l/ does not merge into the /d/. You’ll also hear a slightly clearer release of the /d/ in careful speech; in rapid speech the /d/ can be lightly released or lengthened depending on register. IPA reference: US /təˈtɔːld/; UK /təˈtɔːld/; AU /təˈtoːld/.
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Totaled originates from the noun total, which derives from the Latin totus, meaning ‘whole’ or ‘entire.’ The verb form totaled emerged in English by the 17th century, initially in mathematical and accounting contexts to describe the action of summing numbers to obtain a total. The sense broadened in finance and insurance to describe the final amount or extent of losses (e.g., a ‘total loss’), and in colloquial American English it also gained the sense of something being declared as a complete, irrecoverable state (as in a car being totaled). The spelling with -ed follows standard English verb formation for regular verbs. First known uses appear in financial ledgers and accounting manuals from the early modern period, with common usage in 18th–19th century commercial writing before entering contemporary American and British speech with similar meanings, including both arithmetic totals and loss assessments.
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Words that rhyme with "totaled"
-ded sounds
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