Weighted is an adjective describing something that has weight or relevance assigned or a person who feels the burden of responsibility. In linguistics or data contexts, it indicates modification by weight factors or importance. It can also describe a measurement that has been adjusted by weightings or an outcome influenced by weighting.
"The bag felt heavier than expected because it was weighted with extra rocks."
"Her argument carried more weight after she cited credible sources."
"The algorithm is weighted to favor recent data."
"They used a weighted average to smooth out short-term fluctuations."
Weighted derives from weight, with the agentive suffix -ed indicating the result of applying weight or weightings. The root weight comes from Old English wǣgt, related to Dutch gewicht and German Gewicht, all of which trace back to Proto-Germanic *gewichtam, from the Proto-Indo-European root *gwaih- ‘to bend, slope, tilt’ in some theories, though most modern etymologists treat weight as a semantic extension rather than a direct PIE root. The sense evolution began in early English with literal heaviness, later expanding to figurative senses of influence or importance (as in “what carries weight”). By the 16th–17th centuries, weighted as a participial adjective appeared in technical contexts: weighted averages, weighted scores, weighted mappings, with the sense of being modified by a weight factor. The compound form became common in scientific and statistical discourse during the 20th century as data were adjusted by weights to reflect value, probability, or frequency. Modern usage spans everyday description (a heavier package) to specialized analytics (weighted sampling, weighted voting). First known attestations align with Middle English usage of weight in physical terms; figurative senses gained traction with statistical and mathematical literature in the 1800s and 1900s.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Weighted" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Weighted" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Weighted"
-ted sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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You say WEY-tid with primary stress on WEY. IPA US/UK/AU: /ˈweɪtɪd/. The first syllable uses a long /eɪ/ as in “weight,” followed by a voiced /t/ and a lightly released /ɪd/ at the end. Keep the mouth slightly rounded for /eɪ/ and release the final /d/ quickly after the /t/. Audio reference: listen to /ˈweɪtɪd/ in dictionaries like Cambridge or Oxford, and mirror the crisp /t/ before the syllabic /ɪd/.
Two common mistakes: (1) Slurring the /t/ with the following /ɪ/ making /ˈweɪɪd/ or /ˈweɪtɨd/—keep the /t/ clearly released before the /ɪ/. (2) Reducing the final /ɪd/ to a simple /d/ or /ɪ/; instead, pronounce the /ɪ/ as a short vowel and finish with an /d/ release: /ˈweɪtɪd/. Focus on a crisp /t/ and a distinct /ɪd/ ending.
In US, /ˈweɪtɪd/ with rhotic nucleus is common; /weɪtɪd/ with clear /r/ is not typical since there’s no /r/ after /ɪ/. UK typically preserves the same /ˈweɪtɪd/ but with shorter vowel length, less rhotic influence; AU is similar to UK but often with a slightly more relaxed /ɪd/ ending and broader vowel quality on /eɪ/. Across all, main difference is vowel quality and pace rather than consonant changes; the /t/ is a crisp stop in all three.
The difficulty comes from the two-part syllable with a tense diphthong /eɪ/ in the first syllable and a final /ɪd/ cluster that requires a clean /t/ release into a voiced /d/. Some speakers merge /t/ and /ɪ/, producing /ˈweɪtɪd/ with a tighter transition. Also, blending the /t/ with the following /ɪ/ can create a glottal stop in some dialects. Practicing the quick /t/ release and distinct /ɪd/ helps maintain clarity.
The word carries a strengthening stress on the first syllable; the second syllable starts with a clear /t/ and ends with a short /ɪd/. A unique nuance is maintaining crisp dental/alveolar contact for /t/ followed by an audible /d/ release; avoid flattening the ending into /d/ or /ɹ/ in US; ensure the /ɪ/ doesn’t become schwa. Practice with minimal pairs that contrast /eɪ/ vs. /eɪ/ in an unstressed position.
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