TUR-nowt
/ˈtɝˌnaʊt/
turnout is pronounced TUR-nowt (/ˈtɝˌnaʊt/). Turnout refers to the act or amount of people assembled or participating, especially at an event or election. It can also describe the result of turning something outward or outward-facing. In context, it often denotes attendance or voter participation, and in machinery, the term can describe how a component pivots or opens. The word balances a stressed first syllable with a lighter second syllable in typical usage.
Turnout refers to the act or amount of people assembled or participating, especially at an event or election. It can also describe the result of turning something outward or outward-facing. In context, it often denotes attendance or voter participation, and in machinery, the term can describe how a component pivots or opens. The word balances a stressed first syllable with a lighter second syllable in typical usage.
"The turnout at the stadium exceeded expectations."
"Voter turnout increased after the new initiative."
"Emergency services assessed turnout for volunteers."
Turnout is pronounced as /ˈtɝˌnaʊt/ in US English, with primary stress on the first syllable and a secondary, lighter cue on the second syllable. In UK English, it’s /ˈtɜːnˌaʊt/ with a longer /ɜː/ vowel. In Australian English, it’s /ˈtɜːnˌaʊt/ aligning closely with UK vowel quality. Start with a clear 'TURN' (tɜːr) followed by 'out' (a ʊ t), linking the two sounds smoothly. Listen for the diphthong in 'out' where the mouth moves from /a/ to /ʊ/ to end at /t/.
Common mistakes include compressing the two syllables into a single rapid syllable, producing an overly short /aʊ/ diphthong, or misplacing the stress so it sounds like ‘turn-out’ with equal emphasis. Possible corrections: emphasize the first syllable with a full /ɜː/ or /ɝ/ vowel in stressed stress position, and articulate a clear, gradual glide in the /aʊ/ diphthong moving from /a/ to /ʊ/ before the final /t/. Ensure the t is a crisp, unreleased or lightly released stop if followed by a vowel in connected speech.
In US English, /ˈtɝˌnaʊt/ features rhotacized /ɝ/ in the first syllable and a clear /aʊ/ diphthong. UK English uses /ˈtɜːnˌaʊt/ with a longer central open vowel in the first syllable and a similar /aʊ/ glide. Australian English typically aligns with UK in vowel quality, /ˈtɜːnˌaʊt/, but with a flatter overall intonation and less rhoticity in some speakers. Across accents, the main differences are vowel height and r-coloring; the consonants remain a taut /t/ onset and a final /t/.
The difficulty lies in the precise diphthong /aʊ/ in the second syllable and the rapid transition from the rhotacized or tense vowel /ɝ/ or /ɜː/ to the glide into /aʊ/. Coordinating a clear syllable boundary while maintaining a smooth, connected “turn-out” sound in rapid speech can be challenging. Additionally, speakers may default to a hard, clipped /t/ at the end or misplace stress. Focusing on the glide timing and tongue shape will improve accuracy in all accents.
A distinctive feature of turnout is the contrast between the strong first syllable and the lighter second. The /ˈtɝˌ/ or /ˈtɜːn-/ onset demands a higher, tenser vowel than typical unstressed vowels. The second syllable features a compact /aʊ/ as in 'now', requiring the jaw to drop and then close as the lips round to finish with a crisp /t/. This combination—tense initial vowel plus a tight diphthong—helps distinguish turnout from similar words and is often preserved in careful speech across dialects.
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Turnout originated in the phrase perhaps dating back to the 16th century, combining the verb turn with the noun out to describe something that is turned outward or to turn people outward toward a gathering. Its earliest uses in English appear in contexts of military or civic assemblies where bodies of people were counted or counted on for presence. The sense shifted into contemporary usage, where turnout most commonly refers to the number of participants or voters at an event, meeting, or election. The “out” component stresses outward movement or outward participation, while the first syllable “turn” anchors the idea of rotation or change—moving from a state of nonattendance to attendance or engagement. Historical records show gradual standardization through the 18th and 19th centuries as bureaucratic and political language adopted turnout to quantify public involvement. In modern usage, turnout remains versatile, spanning political science, event management, and manufacturing contexts where a piece is turned outward or outward-facing. The word’s evolution reflects a shift from physical rotation to a broader sense of engagement and presence across domains.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "turnout" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "turnout"
-out sounds
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