3 syllables: Tre, men, dous. Stress on men.
truh-MEN-duhs
/tɹəˈmɛndəs/
Tremendous is pronounced truh-MEN-duhs (/tɹəˈmɛndəs/). It has three syllables (Tre-men-dous), with the stress on "men". Tremendous is an adjective describing something exceptionally large in size, amount, or significance. It conveys strong intensity or impressiveness and is often used in positive contexts to emphasize scale or impact. The word typically carries a formal to neutral register and appears in both spoken and written English to amplify description.
adjectiveTremendous is an adjective describing something exceptionally large in size, amount, or significance. It conveys strong intensity or impressiveness and is often used in positive contexts to emphasize scale or impact. The word typically carries a formal to neutral register and appears in both spoken and written English to amplify description.
- You may instinctively stress the first syllable or flatten the middle /rem/ into a long /riːm/. Fix by practicing tuh-REMD-us with strong second-syllable stress and a brief, light final /əs/. - Final consonant clarity matters: avoid letting the /d/ blend into /s/ or vanish; keep /d/ crisp and followed by a shorter /ə/ or /s/. Practicing with a finger tap on each syllable can help. - Quick speech may reduce the vowel in the middle; hold /e/ in /rem/ just enough to maintain it as a distinct vowel rather than a schwa. Use minimal pairs to train contrast. - Many learners pronounce /ˈtrɛm.dəs/ or /təˈrɛmˌdəs/; keep the primary stress exactly on second syllable and avoid accidental extra syllables. - Mispronouncing the final /əs/ as /əsj/ or /əs/ with a pronounced 's' makes it sound clipped; aim for a light, relaxed end.
"The storm caused tremendous damage across the city."
"Her performance was tremendous, earning a standing ovation."
"We faced tremendous challenges, but we managed to persevere."
Tremendous is pronounced /təˈrem.dəs/ (US/UK) with primary stress on the second syllable. Start with a schwa /tə/ for the first syllable, then a clear /ˈrem/ with the lips rounded slightly, and finish with /dəs/ where the /d/ is a light alveolar stop and the final /əs/ is a reduced, unstressed schwa. Think “tuh-REND-us” with the emphasis on REM. Listen for the quick, light ending. IPA: US/UK: /təˈrem.dəs/; AU follows the same pattern.
Common errors include stressing the first syllable (ti-REH-mdous) and turning the middle /rem/ into a longer /riːm/ sound. Another frequent slip is swallowing the final /-dəs/ into a single syllable or pronouncing it as /-dəs/ with a tensed throat. Correct by stressing the second syllable with /ˈrem/ and keeping the final /dəs/ short and light. Practice the sequence tuh-REMD-us to reinforce the correct rhythm.
In US English, you’ll hear a clear /ˈrem/ with rhoticity affecting vowel quality before it. In UK English, the /r/ is often less rhotic in non-rhotic contexts; the /r/ may be less pronounced, and the vowel before it may be slightly shorter. Australian English generally follows rhotic pronunciation but with a closer, flatter /ɪ/ or /iː/ in some speakers; the ending /əs/ may sound more schwa-like. Core stress remains on the second syllable in all varieties.
The difficulty lies in the three-syllable rhythm with secondary vowels and the final weak /əs/. The primary stress on the second syllable requires precise timing: tuh-REMD-us. The blend of /r/ and the alveolar /d/ can create a slight cluster challenge, and the final /əs/ is reduced, so the mouth closes quickly. Focusing on the 'rem' vowel and keeping the final schwa relaxed helps avoid over-articulation.
A distinct feature is maintaining the clean /d/ before the final /əs/ without glottalization or dropping the /d/. Some speakers may voice the /d/ softly, risking a blur between /d/ and /t/. Emphasize a crisp /d/ followed by a quick, relaxed /əs/ for a natural, fluent finish. IPA reference helps: /təˈrem.dəs/.
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- US: Maintain rhoticity; the /r/ in /ˈrem/ should be pronounced with a strong, approximant contact; the /ə/ in the first syllable remains neutral. - UK: Less pronounced /r/; rely on vowel quality to carry syllable weight; keep /ˈrem/ crisp but not overly forward. - AU: Similar to US but often with slightly lower vowel height in /rem/ and a more centralized final /əs/. IPA guides: /təˈrem.dəs/ across accents; pay attention to non-rhotic tendencies if applicable.
Tremendous comes from the Latin word tremendus meaning ‘fearful’ or ‘wonderful to behold,’ derived from tremere ‘to tremble.’ It entered English via Old French tremendous and Middle English in the 14th century, initially carrying a sense of ‘causing fear or awe.’ Over time its meaning shifted toward size and intensity rather than fear alone. The prefix ter- in tremendous accents the magnitude, while the suffix -ous marks an adjective form. Early usage often described people or events as terrible or formidable, but by the 17th–18th centuries it had begun to favor evaluative emphasis on scale, magnitude, or impact, not necessarily fear. In modern English, tremendous commonly coexists with positive connotations, signaling impressive magnitude in various contexts, from natural phenomena to achievements.
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Words that rhyme with "Tremendous"
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