VAY-kay-ting
/ˈveɪkeɪtɪŋ/
vacating is pronounced VAY-kay-ting (/ˈveɪkeɪtɪŋ/). Vacating is the act of leaving a place, especially a residence or job, by moving out or resigning. It refers to the process of emptying space and ending occupancy, often in anticipation of a new occupant or role. The word can function as a verb (present participle) or as part of phrases describing termination of occupancy.
Vacating is the act of leaving a place, especially a residence or job, by moving out or resigning. It refers to the process of emptying space and ending occupancy, often in anticipation of a new occupant or role. The word can function as a verb (present participle) or as part of phrases describing termination of occupancy.
- You may compress the middle syllable, saying /veɪ.kɪŋ/; fix by holding the /eɪ/ for the second syllable and releasing into /tɪŋ/. - Final -ing often becomes a reduced /ən/ or /ɪn/; practice the crisp /tɪŋ/ with a light but complete alveolar stop before nasal. - Some speakers drop the second long vowel, producing /veɪ.kɪŋ/; keep the second syllable as /keɪ/ to preserve two distinct long vowels. - In rapid speech, the /t/ can become an alveolar flap or silent; avoid this by focusing on the /t/ release before /ɪŋ/.
"We are vacating the apartment at the end of the month."
"He is vacating his post to pursue other opportunities."
"The building will be vacating phase by next week, followed by renovations."
Pronounce as VAH-kay-ting, with primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈveɪ.keɪ.tɪŋ/ in US; in IPA, US /ˈveɪ.keɪ.tɪŋ/. The middle syllable features a long /eɪ/ as in 'say,' and the final -ing uses /ɪŋ/ rather than a simplified '-in' sound. Keep the jaw relaxed in the first syllable, lips unrounded for /ˈveɪ/ and then spread slightly for /keɪ/.
Common errors include compressing /veɪ/ into a short vowel and misplacing stress. Some speakers reduce /keɪ/ to /kɪ/ or pronounce the middle as /kə/; ensure you articulate /keɪ/ clearly. Another frequent error is sliding into /ət/ or /tɪŋ/ without adequate alveolar plosion. Emphasize the two long vowels /eɪ/ in /veɪˈkeɪ/ and keep /tɪŋ/ as a distinct final cluster rather than a vague nasal.
US: strong /ˈveɪ.keɪ.tɪŋ/ with clear /eɪ/ in first two syllables and rhotic /r/ absence here. UK: /ˈveɪ.kə.tɪŋ/ with a shorter middle vowel and non-rhotic r. AU: /ˈveɪ.kɪŋ/ or /ˈveɪ.kə.tɪŋ/ with a flatter vowel in the middle and less/dropped /t/ in rapid speech. Accent differences mainly affect the middle syllable: US tends to /keɪ/ (long /eɪ/), UK often /kə/ or /kɪ/; AU can feature reduced /ə/ or /ɪ/ in the middle syllable due to non-rhotic tendencies and fast speech.
The difficulty lies in maintaining two consecutive long vowels /eɪ/ in the first two syllables and articulating the final /tɪŋ/ clearly after a slightly reduced middle vowel. Coordinating a clear onset for /veɪ/ while keeping the middle syllable crisp (.ˈveɪ.keɪ.tɪŋ) challenges non-native speakers, especially when speed increases. Focus on sustaining the /eɪ/ sound, avoiding /e/ or /i/ blends, and distancing the alveolar /t/ from the nasal /ŋ/.
This word uniquely balances a double long-vowel rhythm in the first two syllables (/veɪ.keɪ/), followed by a standard /tɪŋ/ ending. The challenge is not vowel shortening but natural stress on the first syllable while keeping the second syllable recognizable as /keɪ/. The final /ŋ/ must glide from the /t/ without a strong release, which helps avoid a clipped ending.
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- US: emphasize /ˈveɪ.keɪ.tɪŋ/ with a prominent /eɪ/ in both first and second syllables; ensure /ɪŋ/ at the end is full, not merged. - UK: may reduce the middle to /ə/ or /ɪ/; keep it slightly shorter than the first /eɪ/ while not losing intelligibility; use /ˈveɪ.kə.tɪŋ/ for naturalness. - AU: vowels often flatter; maintain the two long vowels subtly and end with a clear /tɪŋ/; watch for /t/ flapping in casual speech. - IPA references: US /ˈveɪ.keɪ.tɪŋ/, UK /ˈveɪ.kə.tɪŋ/ or /ˈveɪ.keɪ.tɪŋ/, AU /ˈveɪ.kɪŋ/ or /ˈveɪ.kə.tɪŋ/.
Vacating derives from the verb vacate, which comes from Latin vacare, meaning to be empty or to set free. Vacare is formed from vacus, meaning empty, and the suffix -ate, indicating action. In English, vacate appeared in the 14th–15th centuries in legal and property contexts, meaning to relinquish occupancy of land or buildings. Over time, the sense broadened to include leaving a job, seat, or position. The present participle vacating emerged in Middle to Early Modern English as a way to describe ongoing action: ‘vacating the manor’ or ‘vacating the premises.’ The term aligns with related forms like evacuation and vacation, although vacation in modern usage often denotes time off rather than removal of occupancy. In contemporary usage, vacating frequently appears in rental agreements, eviction notices, and corporate transitions, sustaining its core sense of leaving or emptying a space while also emphasizing the action/process aspect via the -ing suffix. The word’s semantic trajectory reflects shifts from physical emptiness to the broader notion of exiting a role or place, anchored in the Latin root’s meaning of emptiness and release.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "vacating" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "vacating"
-ing sounds
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