uhn-SAYF
/əˈnseɪf/
unsafe is pronounced uhn-SAYF (/əˈnseɪf/). Unsafe is an adjective meaning not safe or potentially dangerous. It describes conditions, actions, or environments that pose risk, requiring caution or prohibition. In pronunciation terms, the word comprises two syllables with primary stress on the second syllable, and its vowel sounds can influence register and formality in connected speech.
Unsafe is an adjective meaning not safe or potentially dangerous. It describes conditions, actions, or environments that pose risk, requiring caution or prohibition. In pronunciation terms, the word comprises two syllables with primary stress on the second syllable, and its vowel sounds can influence register and formality in connected speech.
"The bridge is structurally unsafe and must be closed."
"Wearing unsafe machinery can lead to serious injuries."
"That area feels unsafe after dark, so stay with a group."
Unsafe is pronounced as un-SAYF, with the primary stress on the second syllable. IPA: US /ʌnˈseɪf/, UK /ənˈseɪf/, AU /ənˈseɪf/. Begin with a short lax ‘uh’ in the first syllable, then a clear /seɪ/ as in ‘say’ followed by a crisp /f/. Your mouth should close slightly for the /n/ and then widen for the /eɪ/ vowel before ending with a light /f/‑fricative. In connected speech, the first syllable often reduces to /ən/ (schwa + n).
Common mistakes include: 1) Misplacing the stress on the first syllable (un-SAYF vs. UN-sayf). 2) Slurring the /n/ into the following /s/ (uttering as /ənˈsɛf/ or /ɔnˈseif/). 3) Misproducing the /eɪ/ as a quick /e/ or/ or confusing it with /aɪ/. Correct by: keep the /ˈeɪ/ as a distinct diphthong, ensure a brief pause after /n/, and finish with an audible /f/.
In US English, /ʌnˈseɪf/ with a clear rhotic absence in the r-less environment; the /ɪ/ in /ɪ/ remains unstressed. UK English often uses a slightly shorter first syllable and crisper /ˈseɪf/, with non-rhotic bias but similar nucleus vowel quality. Australian English tends to be even more clipped, with a higher, closer /eɪ/ and a potentially broader /æ/ in the first syllable; vowel length can be slightly longer before /f/. Overall, the second syllable’s /eɪ/ remains the nucleus across all accents, while the onset and coda can shift subtly in duration and vowel quality.
The difficulty lies in the two-syllable rhythm and the diphthong /eɪ/ that requires precise jaw and tongue movement to glide from mid to high front position. The sequence /nˈseɪ/ demands clean separation between /n/ and /s/, and tight control of voicing for the final /f/. Non-native speakers may merge /n/ and /s/ or misplace the primary stress, leading to a flattened rhythm. Focus on making /n/ clear, the /eɪ/ a distinct glide, and a final crisp /f/.
Yes. The primary nuance is the strong second-syllable nucleus /eɪ/ paired with a final voiceless fricative /f/. The onset /ʌn/ or /ən/ has a lightly reduced first vowel and must connect smoothly to /seɪ/. In careful speech, avoid an extra consonant between /n/ and /s/; keep a clean boundary so /n/ doesn’t blend with /s/. This word hinges on crisp onset of the second syllable and a clean /f/ finish.
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Unsafe comes from the prefix un- meaning ‘not’ combined with safe. Safe itself derives from Middle English saufe, Old English sēfe and sēofa, related to the Proto-Germanic *saiwo- meaning ‘healthy, safe’, with cognates in Dutch veilig and German sicher. The un- prefix has long served to negate adjectives, indicating the absence of safety or security. The term began appearing in English to describe hazards or unsafe conditions in the late Middle English to Early Modern periods as industrialization and urban hazards emerged. Over time, unsafe broadened beyond physical danger to describe unsafe practices, unsafe practices, or unsafe roads in public policy. By the 19th and 20th centuries, “unsafe” became common in safety regulations, warnings, and ethics discussions, preserving a straightforward negation of safety across varieties of English. First known usages appear in legal and safety texts as a descriptor for conditions needing caution or prohibition, evolving into everyday parlance for non-secure or dangerous situations.
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Words that rhyme with "unsafe"
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