uhn-FILD
/əˈnfɪld/
unfilled is pronounced uhn-FILD (/əˈnfɪld/). Unfilled describes something that has not been filled or occupied, leaving space or gaps. It can refer to positions, containers, or data fields that remain empty, or to a lack of content in a form or record. The term emphasizes absence or incompletion rather than fullness. In usage, it often contrasts with filled or completed states.
Unfilled describes something that has not been filled or occupied, leaving space or gaps. It can refer to positions, containers, or data fields that remain empty, or to a lack of content in a form or record. The term emphasizes absence or incompletion rather than fullness. In usage, it often contrasts with filled or completed states.
- You may produce a weak second syllable, turning /ˈfɪld/ into a less defined /fɪl/; focus on the distinct /ld/ release after /ɪ/. - Dropping or softening the final /d/ in rapid speech can cause it to sound like /fɪl/; ensure a clear alveolar stop at the end with a quick release. - Over-smoothing the initial /ən/ can cause a reduced, indistinct first syllable; keep a light, but audible, schwa and nasal /n/ leading into /f/. - In US English, failing to pronounce the /l/ clearly after /f/ can blur the rhyme; practice with /fɪld/ as a unit. - In non-native speech, blending the /n/ into /f/ can produce /mf/ sequences; work on a clean transition from the nasal to the labiodental fricative.
"The vacancy remained unfilled after the several rounds of interviews."
"She left the form unfilled, unsure what to write in that section."
"The jar was unfilled for weeks, waiting for fresh contents."
Pronounce as un-FILLED, with the primary stress on the second syllable. IPA US/UK/AU: /ˌənˈfɪld/. Start with a schwa-like 'uh' sound for the first syllable, then a clear /ɪ/ in the second, followed by /f/ and /ɪ/ and ending with /ld/. Mouth positions: small jaw drop for first syllable, then a tighter, high-front vowel for /ɪ/ and a voiceless /f/ followed by a light /l/ and a final alveolar /d/. You’ll hear the stronger vowel and the crisp /ld/ stop cluster in quick speech.
Common mistakes include misplacing stress (saying un-FILLED with even stress) and blending the /n/ and /f/ too loosely, producing /ənfɪld/ or mispronouncing the final /ld/ as a hard /l/ without a clear /d/. Another error is reducing the /ɪ/ to a schwa in the second syllable, making it sound like unfæld. Correction: keep secondary stress on the second syllable, articulate /f/ crisply, and end with a clear /ld/ by lightly releasing the tongue to touch the alveolar ridge for /d/ after the /l/.
In US and UK, the /ɪ/ in the second syllable remains a short high front vowel, but rhotic or non-rhotic tendencies affect surrounding vowels and r-coloring. US typically keeps a clearer /ɪ/ and a sharper /ld/ release; UK often has a crisper /d/ and less vowel coloring in the first syllable. Australian English may feature a slightly more centralized /ɪ/ and a less pronounced /l/ quality, with a flatter intonation. Overall, the main difference is vowel quality and the final consonant clarity. IPA references: US /ˌənˈfɪld/, UK /ˌənˈfɪld/, AU /ˌənˈfɪld/.
The difficulty lies in the final consonant cluster /ld/ after the alveolar lateral /l/ and the voiceless /d/ release, which can blur in rapid speech. Additionally, maintaining stress on the second syllable while not introducing a darkened or lax vowel in the first syllable challenges non-native timing. Practice focusing on a crisp /l/ followed by a clean /d/ release, ensuring the second syllable stays stronger than the first.
A unique aspect is the precise placement of the secondary onset in un- and the strong contrast between the unstressed 'un' and the stressed 'filled'. The prefix /ən-/ often becomes very weak in fast speech, so you must ensure the /n/ links cleanly into /f/ to prevent slurring. Paying attention to the syllable boundary helps keep the intonation steady and avoids sounding like ‘unfell’d’ or ‘ununfilled.’
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- US: Pronounce the first syllable with a light schwa and a clear /n/: /ˌənˈfɪld/. The /ɪ/ in the second syllable should be crisp, with the /l/ fully arching the tongue and then a distinct /d/ release. - UK: Similar to US, but with slightly tighter vowel space; keep the second syllable short and crisp, ensuring non-rhoticity affects only preconsonantal vowels, not the /ɪ/. The /d/ release should be clean. - AU: Slightly more centralized vowel quality in /ɪ/, and a potentially broader mouth opening on the first syllable; stress remains on /ˈfɪld/ and the consonant cluster requires precise lip engagement to prevent slurring. IPA references: US /ˌənˈfɪld/, UK /ˌənˈfɪld/, AU /ˌənˈfɪld/. - General tip: keep the mouth relaxed in the first syllable, then tighten to hit /fɪld/ crisply; practice with minimal pairs focusing on /n/ to /f/ transition.
Unfilled is formed from the prefix un- (from Old English un-, meaning ‘not, opposite of’) attached to fill, from Old English fyllan, meaning to make full or to occupy. The un- prefix has Germanic roots and denotes negation or reversal across many related words (unhappy, unsafe). Fill traces to Proto-Germanic *fullaną, with cognates across Dutch vullen and German füllen. The sense evolution tracks the semantic shift from “to make full” to “not filled” when negating complemented states. In Middle English, un- was routinely affixed to verbs to indicate the opposite action, producing unfill(e)d in early corpora, gradually stabilized to unfilled in modern usage. The first recorded uses of unfilled appear in administrative and clerical contexts where fields or vessels were described as not yet filled, aligning with bureaucratic language intensifying in the 15th-17th centuries as forms and inventories proliferated. Over time, unfilled broadened to describe abstract gaps (unfilled promises, unfilled positions) and concrete containers (unfilled jars), retaining precise oppositional semantics across disciplines, from logistics to data management.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "unfilled" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "unfilled" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "unfilled"
-led sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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