VOH-tid
/ˈvoʊtɪd/
voted is pronounced VOH-tid (/ˈvoʊtɪd/). Voted is the past tense and past participle of vote. It denotes having cast a ballot or expressed a choice in an election or decision-making process. The word exists as a single-syllable unit in stressed, rapid speech and often combines with auxiliary forms or modals in connected discourse.
Voted is the past tense and past participle of vote. It denotes having cast a ballot or expressed a choice in an election or decision-making process. The word exists as a single-syllable unit in stressed, rapid speech and often combines with auxiliary forms or modals in connected discourse.
"She voted for the candidate she believed would bring change."
"Residents voted overwhelmingly to approve the measure in yesterday's referendum."
"He has voted in every election since he turned eighteen."
Pronounce as VOH-tid in the US, with the first syllable stressed: /ˈvoʊ.tɪd/ or /ˈvoʊtɪd/ depending on transcriber. In connected speech you may hear less vowel length and a faster /t/ release: [ˈvoʊtɪd]. For UK listeners, many speakers approach /ˈvəʊ.tɪd/ with a slightly reduced first vowel in rapid speech. In all dialects, the final -ed is pronounced as a voiced /d/ following a voiced consonant cluster, so the ending sounds like “-tɪd” rather than “-təd.” Pay attention to the placement of stress on the first syllable and the crisp alveolar /t/ before the /ɪd/.
Common errors include pronouncing the first syllable with a lax vowel (e.g., /ˈvʌtɪd/), misplacing stress so it sounds like “vot-id” or “vo-ted,” and using a weak or omitted final /d/ (pronouncing it as /-t/). To correct: ensure the first syllable has a strong /oʊ/ or /əʊ/ vowel, maintain a crisp alveolar /t/ before the /ɪd/, and finish with a clear /d/ voice onset. Practice with minimal pairs to stabilize the vowel, keep the alveolar stop precise, and avoid vowel shortening in careful speech.
US: /ˈvoʊtɪd/ with a strong diphthong /oʊ/ and clear /t/ before /ɪd/. UK: /ˈvəʊ.tɪd/ or /ˈvoʊ.tɪd/, with a potentially shorter first syllable and non-rhoticity affecting the /r/ context if nearby, but nominative vowel quality for /əʊ/ in many speakers. AU: often /ˈvoːtɪd/ or /ˈvəʊ.tɪd/ with a longer or monophthongish /oː/ in some dialects and a more aspirated /t/ that sometimes merges with following vowels. Across all, the ending is /tɪd/ or /ɪd/ depending on assimilation, but the crucial differences lie in the nucleus quality and rhoticity influence.
The difficulty comes from blending the diphthong in the first syllable with a high-fronted /t/ before a short /ɪ/ leading into a stressed, clipped final /d/. Also, rapid speech often reduces the vowel to a quicker schwa before /t/, which can blur the /voʊ/ into /vəʊ/ or /voː/. Practitioners should focus on maintaining a crisp alveolar stop, accurate vowel quality in the nucleus, and avoiding vowel reduction that blurs the /oʊ/ into /əʊ/ in casual talk.
A unique aspect is the combination of a long back diphthong (oʊ) with a following t-d sound cluster that becomes /tɪd/ in rapid speech; you should maintain an audible transition from vowel to /t/ and not let the /t/ swallow the ensuing /ɪ/ entirely. Also, be mindful of the final alveolar /d/ being voiced and released, as many learners drop the /d/ or add an extra vowel. In practice, emphasize the nucleus /oʊ/ and produce a crisp /t/ before /ɪd/.
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- US: /ˈvoʊtɪd/ with a prominent /oʊ/ diphthong; keep the /t/ crisp and avoid an over-aspirated release. Focus on a voiced /d/ at the end and a short, connected /ɪd/. - UK: /ˈvəʊtɪd/ or /ˈvoʊtɪd/, with potential reduction of the first syllable in fast speech and less vowel length distinction; ensure the /ʊ/ or /əʊ/ nucleus is clear enough to distinguish from /ə/. - AU: /ˈvoːtɪd/ or /ˈvəʊtɪd/, with a longer /oː/ or a rounded /əʊ/ depending on region; maintain a crisp /t/ and a voiced /d/ end, avoiding an interlocutor-proximal vowel merge.
Voted comes from the verb vote, which traces to the Latin votare meaning to vow or nominate, and to votum signifying a wish or decree. The English form emerged in the Middle English period, reflecting a standard pattern of forming past tenses by adding -ed to a verb. The root vote itself has cognates in many European languages, often tied to vow, wish, or choice. In English, voted developed as the simple past and past participle form, used both for literal casting of ballots and for figurative meanings like “decided by popular consent.” The earliest attestations align with political processes where citizens or delegates cast ballots, with usage accelerating in the 16th–18th centuries as modern electoral practices crystallized. Over time, voted has retained its core sense of active participation in a decision, particularly in democratic contexts, while also appearing in legal, organizational, and informal settings to denote a completed act of choosing. While its spelling remains straightforward, pronunciation patterns are influenced by rapid speech and linking in connected discourse, which can affect vowel quality in casual use. Modern usage often relies on contracted forms in speech, e.g., “she’d voted” as part of a larger auxiliary verb chain.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "voted" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "voted"
-ted sounds
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