3 syllables: Ve, hem, ence. Stress on Ve.
VEE-uh-muhns
/ˈviəməns/
Vehemence is pronounced VEE-uh-muhns (/ˈviəməns/). It has three syllables (Ve-hem-ence), with the stress on "Ve". Vehemence is the display of strong, intense emotion or passion, often expressed through forceful language, vigorous action, or vehement attitude. It denotes ardent zeal or fury, typically suggesting uncompromising insistence or intensity in belief or expression. The term carries connotations of power and urgency, marking a sharp, emphatic stance rather than a calm or restrained demeanor.
nounVehemence is the display of strong, intense emotion or passion, often expressed through forceful language, vigorous action, or vehement attitude. It denotes ardent zeal or fury, typically suggesting uncompromising insistence or intensity in belief or expression. The term carries connotations of power and urgency, marking a sharp, emphatic stance rather than a calm or restrained demeanor.
"Her vehemence in defending her views left little room for compromise."
"The politician spoke with vehemence, shaking with conviction as he urged reform."
"He argued with vehemence, his voice rising to a near shout."
Pronunciation: /vəˈhɛm.əns/ in US, /vəˈhem.əns/ in UK and AU. Put stress on the second syllable: ve-HEM-ence. Start with a schwa followed by a short 'eh' as in 'bet', then a clear 'm' and a soft 'uh', ending with an 'ns' blend. Tip: keep the 'h' light but present before the 'em'. Audio reference: compare to standard pronunciations in Cambridge/Dictionaries online.
Common mistakes: 1) Misplacing stress, saying ve-HEM-ence with first syllable emphasis; 2) Slurring the 'h' or dropping the 'h', giving v-EEM-ence; 3) Vowel quality confusion in the second syllable, making it a longer or rounded vowel. Correction: emphasize -HEM- with a short 'e' like in 'bet', keep the 'h' aspirated, and ensure the final 'ence' sounds like 'əns'. Practice with isolated syllables and then in words.
Differences: US tends to və-HEM-əns with a more rhotic, quick schwa; UK/AU often maintain a slightly crisper 'e' in the second syllable and might reduce the final syllable more quickly. The 'h' remains pronounced in all. IPA differences: US /vəˈhɛm.əns/, UK /vəˈhem.əns/, AU /vəˈhem.əns/. Rhoticity affects the preceding 'r' only in related words; here the chloric feature is the vowel quality of the second syllable.
Difficulties stem from the unstressed schwa in the first syllable combined with a strong middle syllable vowel, plus a final consonantal cluster 'ns'. The sequence /ˈhɛm/ requires precise mouth positioning to avoid blending into a single syllable. The challenge is maintaining crisp 'h' plus the short 'e' and ensuring the final 'ns' is clean. Practice with slow pacing, then speed up while keeping articulation precise.
A unique aspect is the contrast between the light initial 'v' and the relatively forceful second syllable. You’ll benefit from a deliberate onset: start with a short 'v' then release into the robust 'HEM' to achieve the characteristic rise in syllable intensity. Focus on the second syllable’s tense vowel and ensuring the 'ns' is crisp without vocalic leakage into the following sounds.
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Vehemence comes from the Latin vehemēns, meaning ‘forcing, violent, vehement’. The root is vehem-, from vehemēre ‘to be vigorous, to be eager; to show force’, with the suffix -ence forming a noun of state or quality. The Latin term was adopted into English by the 16th century via Old French and Middle English influences, retaining the core sense of intense force or energy behind action or expression. Across its history, vehemence has been associated with strong assertions, passionate rhetoric, and uncompromising stance, distinguishing it from milder passion or calm zeal. The word has maintained its connotation of forcefulness, often appearing in political, philosophical, or literary contexts to describe zeal that is not merely intense but overpowering or vehement in manner. The contemporary usage expands to cover both emotional intensity and vigorous advocacy, while preserving the sense of intensity that the Latin root implied centuries ago.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Vehemence" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Vehemence"
-nce sounds
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