uh-nuh-BLIG-ay-tid
/ˌənəˈblɪɡeɪtɪd/
unobligated is pronounced uh-nuh-BLIG-ay-tid (/ˌənəˈblɪɡeɪtɪd/). Unobligated describes someone or something not bound by obligation or not given obligations, duties, or commitments. In broad use, it conveys a lack of legal or ethical encumbrance, or freedom from required action. The term often appears in legal, financial, or organizational contexts to indicate exemption or non-binding status.
Unobligated describes someone or something not bound by obligation or not given obligations, duties, or commitments. In broad use, it conveys a lack of legal or ethical encumbrance, or freedom from required action. The term often appears in legal, financial, or organizational contexts to indicate exemption or non-binding status.
- You focus too much on the prefix 'un-' and lose the rhythm of the root; practice by isolating /ˈblɪɡ/ and /ˈeɪtɪd/ to avoid blending. • You under-pronounce the /eɪ/ leading to /e/ or /ɪ/; emphasize the diphthong to preserve the rhythm. • You drop the final /d/ in fast speech; always tip to release the /d/ even in telephonic speech. Practice with slow enunciation, then speed up.
"The contract was deemed unobligated after all parties signed the amendment."
"She remained unobligated to participate in the project until final approvals were granted."
"The grant fund remains unobligated while the review process is ongoing."
Pronounce as /ˌənˌoʊˈblɪɡeɪtɪd/ (US) or /ˌʌnəˈblɪɡeɪtɪd/ (UK). Primary stress falls on the third syllable: -blig-, with secondary stress on the second syllable depending on rhythm. Start with a light schwa in the first syllable, the long /oʊ/ in the second, a crisp /blɪɡ/ cluster, then /eɪ/ followed by /tɪd/. Mouth position: gentle lip spreading for /oʊ/, alveolar /t/ at the end is unreleased in slower speech, more clearly enunciated in careful speech. Audio resources: Pronounce or Forvo entries, plus listening to native readings helps confirm rhythm.
Common mistakes: (1) Slurring the /blig/ cluster into a single sound; (2) Misplacing stress, treating it as /ˌənˈɒbɪɡlətɪd/ with wrong vowel quality; (3) Dropping the final /d/ or making it a /t/ in rapid speech. Correction: articulate /blɪɡ/ with a clear /b/ and /l/; keep /eɪ/ as a distinct vowel before /tɪd/, and finish with a clean /d/. Practice slow repetitions emphasizing the third syllable: u-no-BLI-ge-ted, then speed up while maintaining the /ɡeɪ/ + /tɪd/ sequence.
US tends to stress the main syllable with /ˌənˌoʊˈblɪɡeɪtɪd/, rhotic /r/ absent in this word; UK often uses /ˌʌnəˈblɪɡeɪtɪd/ with non-rhoticity; AU follows US-leaning patterns but can show slightly flatter vowels and less pronounced /r/ as well. In all, /oʊ/ or /ə/ in the second syllable, the /æ/ vs /eɪ/ quality differences may appear subtly; ensure the /ɡeɪ/ sequence remains clear in all accents.
Key challenges: the /blɪɡ/ cluster requires precise timing between /b/ and /l/, and the /eɪtɪd/ ending blends a diphthong with a subtle /t/ then /ɪd/; many speakers move too quickly and compress /eɪ/ into /e/ or drop the /d/. The word also has secondary stress considerations because of prefix un- and ob- cluster; keeping clarity in the third syllable helps reduce mispronunciations.
The word combines a common prefix (un-) with a less frequent root (obligate). The critical feature is the /ˈblɪɡeɪ/ sequence: clear /bl/ onset, then the /ɪɡeɪ/ blend before the /tɪd/. Focusing on keeping the /ɡ/ hard and the /eɪ/ as a steady vowel before /tɪd/ prevents rushing the final syllables and helps maintain intelligibility in formal speech.
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- US: rhoticity affects only /r/; not present in this word; UK: non-rhotic; AU: similar to US with slightly different vowel qualities. /ˌənˌoʊˈblɪɡeɪtɪd/ vs /ˌʌnəˈblɪɡeɪtɪd/; Vowel length and quality shift: /oʊ/ often shortened; /ə/ in the first syllable can reduce clarity if not stressed; final -ed often reduced to /ɪd/ in careful speech or /d/ in casual speech.
Unobligated is formed from the prefix un- meaning ‘not’ or ‘absence of,’ the root oblige from Latin obligare meaning ‘to bind’ or ‘to constrain,’ and the suffix -ated indicating a past-participle/adjective form. The word traces to the medieval and early modern legal vernacular, where ‘obligate’ referred to binding a person to perform duties or fulfill obligations. The addition of un- negates this binding status, yielding a term that describes something not bound by obligation. The first known uses align with formal legal or contractual language in English, particularly in the 18th and 19th centuries as bureaucratic and financial vocabulary expanded. Over time, unobligated has been used more broadly to describe non-binding funds, unassigned duties, or assets not yet allocated. The evolution reflects a shift from strictly legal binding to a more general sense of permissiveness or freedom from compulsory action. The emergence of the term in documentation and policy indicates a precise terminology for exemption or uncommitted status, making it a specialized but increasingly common descriptor in regulated environments.
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Words that rhyme with "unobligated"
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