UHP-kuhm-ing
/ˈʌˌpkʌmɪŋ/
upcoming is pronounced UHP-kuhm-ing (/ˈʌˌpkʌmɪŋ/). Upcoming is a two-syllable adjective meaning 'happening soon' or 'coming up in the near future.' It functions as a pre-head modifier or predicative adjective in many contexts, often preceding a noun (the upcoming events) or describing a forthcoming period (the upcoming week). Pronunciation emphasizes a light first syllable and a clear, unstressed second syllable.
Upcoming is a two-syllable adjective meaning 'happening soon' or 'coming up in the near future.' It functions as a pre-head modifier or predicative adjective in many contexts, often preceding a noun (the upcoming events) or describing a forthcoming period (the upcoming week). Pronunciation emphasizes a light first syllable and a clear, unstressed second syllable.
- Do not overemphasize the first syllable; treat the second syllable as the main beat for stress. - Avoid an extra vowel after /k/ (don’t say /kʌmiŋ/ or /kʌmɪən/). - Be mindful of the final /-ɪŋ/; keep it short and nasal without a pronounced vowel before it.
"We have an upcoming conference next month."
"The upcoming exams have everyone anxious."
"An upcoming project will require careful planning."
Pronounce as /ˌʌpˈkʌm.ɪŋ/ (US/UK/AU). The first syllable "up" is unstressed; the second syllable "coming" carries primary stress, with a crisp /ˈkʌm/ onset and a light final /-ɪŋ/. Tip: keep the 'p' light and avoid an aspirated vowel after it; let the /ˈkʌm/ cluster blend smoothly into the /ɪŋ/. Audio reference: imagine saying 'up' quickly, then 'coming' with stress on the first consonant of the second syllable.
Common errors: (1) Overemphasizing the first syllable, making it /ˈʌpˌkʌmɪŋ/; (2) Misplacing stress on the first syllable, producing /ˈʌpˈkʌmɪŋ/ which sounds off in normal English rhythm; (3) Adding an extra vowel after /k/ (e.g., /ˈʌpˌkʌmɪən/). Correction: keep primary stress on the second syllable, deliver /ˈkʌm/ crisply, and end with a clean /-ɪŋ/. Shorten the first syllable to a quick 'up' and connect to /ˈkʌm/.
In US/UK/AU, the core is /ˌʌpˈkʌmɪŋ/. Rhoticity is not a factor for this word; the vowels are lax and not heavily rounded. UK speakers may make the second syllable slightly shorter with a sharper /ˈkʌm/. Australian English tends to have a more centralized or closer diphthong in /ɪ/ and a slightly more clipped /ˈkɐm/ realisation, but the overall pattern remains similar. The main differences are vowel quality and subtle vowel length.
The difficulty lies in balancing two unstressed segments with a stressed middle syllable, while the final -ing adds a soft nasal. The /ʌ/ in both the first and second syllables can be challenging for non-native speakers who merge to /ə/ or mispronounce /ˈkʌm/. Also, the transition from /p/ to /k/ requires careful lip closure and a brief delay to avoid an extraneous epenthetic sound. Practice the tight coupling: /ʌp/ → /ˈkʌm/ → /-ɪŋ/.
A key feature is the secondary-stress-like lightness on the first syllable producing a melodic up-down: up- coming with the real nucleus in /ˈkʌm/. The first syllable is short and non-prominent, serving as a preparation for the main syllable. Mental cue: think of saying 'up' quickly, then hit /ˈkʌm/ firmly, then finish with /ɪŋ/. This helps stress, rhythm, and natural flowing pronunciation.
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- US: /ˌʌpˈkʌmɪŋ/. Vowels like /ʌ/ are centralized; keep lips relaxed. - UK: /ˌʌpˈkʌmɪŋ/. Similar pattern, slight length differences; avoid over-lengthening the -ɪŋ. - AU: /ˌʌpˈkʌmɪŋ/. Subtle vowel quality differences; non-rhoticity is not a major factor here. All: keep /ˈkʌm/ crisp, /ɪŋ/ light, and maintain the secondary stress on the first syllable. - IPA references included above; focus on mouth positions: lips neutral, tongue for /ʌ/ mid-back, /k/ back-cluster.
Upcoming originated in English as a compound adjective formed from up + coming. The base adjective coming derives from Old English gebcuman (to approach, to arrive) via Proto-Germanic *gumi-/*gum- core meaning ‘to approach.’ The modern form arrived in Middle English as up + coming with the sense of ‘coming near, approaching.’ The term evolved to modify nouns indicating events or periods that will occur in the near future. The earliest attestations of 'upcoming' in senses close to the present usage appear in 19th- to early 20th-century English, particularly in journalism and business contexts, describing forthcoming plans, events, or opportunities. Over time it became a common, portable modifier in both written and spoken English, retaining the straightforward semantic blend of proximity in time (up) and arrival or occurrence (coming).
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "upcoming" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "upcoming"
-ing sounds
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