uhn-dis-KLOHZD
/ˌʌndɪsˈkloʊzd/
undisclosed is pronounced uhn-dis-KLOHZD (/ˌʌndɪsˈkloʊzd/). Undisclosed means not revealed or made public, typically referring to information, plans, or sources that have been kept secret or withheld. It describes something kept confidential by choice or obligation, often until formally released. In practice, it signals that details exist but are intentionally not disclosed at this time.
Undisclosed means not revealed or made public, typically referring to information, plans, or sources that have been kept secret or withheld. It describes something kept confidential by choice or obligation, often until formally released. In practice, it signals that details exist but are intentionally not disclosed at this time.
"The company gave undisclosed terms, citing competitive reasons."
"Authorities avoided discussing the undisclosed details of the investigation."
"She was given undisclosed instructions that she could not share with teammates."
Break it as un-dis-closed with primary stress on the second syllable: /ənˈdɪs.kloʊzd/. Start with a light, quick schwa (ə) for the /ə/ in un, then a clear /ˈdɪs/ with the tip of the tongue touching the ridge just behind the upper teeth, followed by a rounded, tense /kloʊzd/ where /oʊ/ is a long diphthong and the final /d/ is released crisply. Keep the /z/ voiced between /s/ and /l/ to avoid spurious frication. Audio reference: you’ll hear the /ˈdɪs/ peak and the final /oʊzd/ closely tied to the preceding syllable; practice with careful segmentation: un- (ə) + DIS + CLOSED, then blend.
Common errors include flattening the /ɪ/ to a lax schwa too early, producing un-diss-closed or un-dih-slosed, and mispronouncing /kloʊzd/ as /klɔzd/ with a mis-timed /oʊ/. Another frequent slip is pronouncing the -ed as a separate syllable instead of a reduced end; keep final /d/ silent in rapid speech if surrounding vowels blur, but clearly release it in careful speech. Correct by practicing the stressed /ˈdɪs/ segment distinctly, then smoothly attach /kloʊzd/ without hiatus.
In US and UK accents, the /ɪ/ in /ˈdɪs/ is a short, crisp vowel; rhotics affect the surrounding rhythm (US tends to rhotic /r/ influence in connected speech, though not in this word). The /oʊ/ in /kloʊzd/ is a tight, closing diphthong in both, but in some UK varieties the vowel quality leans toward /əʊ/ with less rhotic involvement. Australian English may feature a slightly centralized /ɪ/ and a more centralized or less rounded /oʊ/, leading to a lighter, quicker final syllable. Overall, the core segments remain stable, but vowel quality and tempo shift slightly by region.
Three challenges stand out: the sequence /ˈdɪs/ requires crisp alveolar /d/ and /s/ separation before a heavy /k/ onset in /kloʊzd/, the /ə/ in un- is reduced and can be over-articulated; and the /z/ before /d/ creates a tricky voiced fricative-to-stop transition. Also, the final cluster /z/ + /d/ must stay fluid to avoid a lisp or a swallowed sound in rapid speech. Focusing on clean occlusion (tapping /d/) and keeping the /z/ distinct before the nasalization can help reduce slurring.
Why does the -cl ose d end cluster sometimes sound like two beats? Because the /k/ and /l/ share a rapid coarticulation; in careful speech you’ll notice a slight boundary between /k/ and /l/ as you release the /k/ into the /l/ and then into /oʊzd/. This can create a perceptual pause if spoken too quickly. Practicing with a short, deliberate /k/ release followed by a light /l/ touch helps maintain the rhythm without breaking the word.
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Undisclosed is formed from the prefix un- (a negative marker of reversal or absence) + disclose (from Middle English disclosen, from Old French desclore, likely from Latin dis- ‘apart’ + clorare ‘to close or shut; reveal’). The verb close here carries the sense of unsealing or making known; thus undisclosed literally describes information that has not been unsealed or revealed. The word disclo se itself traces through Middle English into Early Modern English, with the negative prefix un- widely productive in English. The sense evolution reflects legal, journalistic, and organizational contexts where information remains intentionally private. First known uses in print align with legal and governmental discourse in the 17th–18th centuries, then expanding into business and media as a formal term to indicate secrecy or withholding pending official releases. Today, undisclosed is common in policy statements, press releases, and contracts where details are intentionally withheld or reserved. The lexical combination has a precise tone—neutral to slightly formal—and signals deliberate omission rather than inadvertence. In usage, it often appears with terms like “undisclosed terms,” “undisclosed location,” or “undisclosed sources,” reinforcing its status as a descriptor rather than a verb. The word’s etymology reflects a broader pattern of negating a root verb to express the absence of action or information in a formal register. Overall, it has retained a precise, professional feel across legal, corporate, and journalistic domains.
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Words that rhyme with "undisclosed"
-sed sounds
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