truh-MEN-duh-slee
/tɹəˈmɛndəsli/
tremendously is pronounced truh-MEN-duh-slee (/tɹəˈmɛndəsli/). Tremendously means to a very great extent or degree; to an exceptional or overwhelming level. It conveys substantial size, impact, or intensity, often implying admiration or astonishment. The pronunciation and usage emphasize the first syllable and a clear '-der' sound in the middle, with the final adverbial -ly forming a smooth syllable ending.
Tremendously means to a very great extent or degree; to an exceptional or overwhelming level. It conveys substantial size, impact, or intensity, often implying admiration or astonishment. The pronunciation and usage emphasize the first syllable and a clear '-der' sound in the middle, with the final adverbial -ly forming a smooth syllable ending.
"The project was tremendously successful, exceeding all expectations."
"She felt tremendously relieved after hearing the good news."
"The gym's new facility had tremendously improved the training experience."
Pronounce it as /trɪˈmɛn.dəs.li/. The primary stress is on the second syllable, MEN, and the -dous- is a light stød-like schwa-plus-d sound: dəs. Start with a short quick ‘tri’ then stress the ‘MEN’ syllable, finish with ‘dously’ where the first syllable of that cluster is a light /d/ followed by /əs/ and then /li/. You can listen for audio cues on Forvo or pronunciation tools for the exact cadence.
Common errors: (1) Stressing the first syllable (tre-), making it tri-MEN-dous-ly; (2) Clustering ‘dous’ unintentionally as /daʊz/ or too heavy a /dəs/; (3) Dropping the final -ly, ending with /dəs/ or /dli/. Correction: keep primary stress on MEN, ensure a crisp /d/ before the /əs/ and finish clearly with /li/. Practice slow syllables: trɪ-ˈmɛn-dəs-ly, then add natural speed while maintaining even vowel quality.
US/UK/AU share /trɪˈmɛn.dəs.li/ but vowel lengths vary: US tends to a quicker, flatter /ˈmɛn/ with less vowel reduction; UK may have a slightly rounded /ˈmen/ and crisper /dəs/; AU often keeps a very clear /ɪ/ in the first syllable and a slightly elongated final /li/. Rhoticity is not a key factor here since the word is not rhotic; focus on the mid vowels and the final lightly enunciated /li/ across dialects.
Two main challenges: (1) the three-syllable rhythm with a dominant middle stress makes the 'MEN' syllable prominent while keeping the surrounding sounds quick; (2) the final '-ly' adds an extra light syllable that can drag if you overemphasize, leading to a muddy ending. Work on keeping a tight, clean /dəs.li/ sequence and ensure the 'tren' portion doesn’t fuse with the 'MEN' sound. IPA cues help anchor mouth positions.
Tremendously does not have silent letters; every letter contributes to syllable count. The stress pattern is regular with secondary stress on the ‘den-’ part only when spoken with emphasis, but in natural speech, primary stress remains on MEN. There is no silent consonant; the sequence /trɪˈmɛn.dəs.li/ requires clear articulation of /t/, /r/, /m/, /n/ and the two light syllables /dəs/ and /li/.
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Tremendously originates from the adjective tremendous, formed in Middle English from the Latin tremendus, meaning ‘to be feared or terrible,’ related to tremor ‘to shake’ and terror. The root word tremend- derives from Latin tremere ‘to tremble or shake,’ with -ous transforming it into an adjective, and -ly forming the adverb. Over time, tremendous shifted from denoting something fearfully large to simply ‘great in amount or intensity.’ By the 16th-17th centuries, tremen-dous entered common usage to describe extraordinary scale or degree without necessarily implying danger. The adverbial use tremendously arose as a natural extension, indicating the manner of the action in a sentence. First known uses appear in Early Modern English writings, often in religious or rhetorical contexts, such as describing mighty acts or vast efforts, evolving into a general, modern descriptor of extraordinary magnitude across various registers.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "tremendously" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "tremendously"
-lly sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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