VEYE-tuh-lee
/ˈvaɪtəli/
vitally is pronounced VEYE-tuh-lee (/ˈvaɪtəli/). Vitally means in a way that is essential or critically important to the functioning or success of something. It emphasizes urgency and necessity, often signaling that a matter cannot be neglected. The term carries a sense of utmost importance, requiring careful attention or action.
Vitally means in a way that is essential or critically important to the functioning or success of something. It emphasizes urgency and necessity, often signaling that a matter cannot be neglected. The term carries a sense of utmost importance, requiring careful attention or action.
"The policy change is vitally important to ensuring public safety."
"She was vitally aware of the deadline and worked late into the night."
"Doctors stressed that monitoring vitally important signs, like heart rate, is crucial."
Say it as VI-təl-ly with primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈvaɪ.tə.li/. The second syllable has a light schwa /tə/ and the final -ly is a quick /li/. Ensure the V is a clear, long vowel, then glide into a soft /t/ before the unstressed /ə/; finish with a light /li/.
Common errors include reducing the first syllable too much (pronouncing it as 'vit-uh-lee' or 'vi-tuh-ly' where the /aɪ/ becomes a short vowel). Another frequent mispronunciation is weakening the /t/ into a tap or soft d, and over-articulating the final /ly/ as /li/ with a drawn-out ending. Practice: keep the /t/ crisp and avoid adding extra syllables; keep the second syllable as /tə/ and the final /li/ short.
In US/UK/AU, the initial /vaɪ/ vowel is consistent with the “life” vowel and keeps the diphthong /aɪ/. Rhoticity does not change the word; the /t/ remains crisp across accents, while the vowel quality in the middle can shift slightly: US often has a more centralized /ə/ in the /tə/; UK can be flatter /tə/; AU tends to more open vowels but still preserves /ˈvaɪ.tə.li/. Overall, the main difference is vowel quality and connected speech rhythm rather than core consonants.
The difficulty lies in maintaining the correct stress pattern (ˈvaɪ.tə.li) across rapid speech and producing the middle unstressed /tə/ without inserting extra vowels. Speakers often mispronounce the middle as /ti/ or /tiː/ or merge /t/ with a following vowel. The final -ly needs to be quick and light, not a full syllable. Practicing with minimal pairs and controlled pacing helps solidify the sequence and prevent vowel merging.
Remember the two main accents: the vowel sequence in /vaɪ/ is a tight diphthong, not a long /i/ sound. Place the tongue high for /aɪ/ and then quickly drop to an almost neutral /ə/ for /tə/. Keep the final /li/ light. A useful cue is thinking: 'VI-TA-lly' with crisp, separate syllables, even though spoken quickly. This helps maintain clarity and prevents blending.
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Vitally comes from the adjective vital, meaning necessary for life or success, which itself traces to Latin vitalis, from vita ‘life’. The root vita appears in many English words tied to life and energy (vital, vitality, vitamin). The suffix -ly is a standard English adverbial ending that turns adjectives into adverbs, giving the sense of acting in a manner corresponding to the adjective’s meaning. The earliest uses in English align with technical or formal writing around life-sustaining or essential actions, and over time the word broadened to describe any matter of crucial importance. The noun form ‘vitality’ preserves the sense of life force, energy, and essential function, while ‘vitally’ emphasizes the manner of being essential or necessary in a given context. The term gained more frequent usage in the 19th and 20th centuries, alongside industrial and scientific discourse where the emphasis on essential factors and critical conditions grew in importance.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "vitally" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "vitally" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "vitally"
-on) sounds
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