Worship (noun) refers to acts of reverence, adoration, or devotion shown to a deity or sacred figure, often in a formal ceremony or ritual, or to great admiration for someone or something. It encompasses both religious practices and intense personal admiration, conveying solemn, ceremonial, and emotionally charged connotations. In everyday use, it can also describe admiration or tribute given to a person, object, or idea.
- You’ll often say the first syllable in a short, clipped way, turning /ɜːr/ into a quick schwa-like sound. Fix: keep the central vowel steady and allow the /ɜː/ to carry the weight before the /r/; then glide into /ʃɪp/ smoothly. - Some learners slice the /ʃ/ too early or too softly, making it sound like /s/ or /ʃ/ but with a weak onset. Fix: start the /ʃ/ with a light burst of air, then keep the tongue blade high and teeth close for a crisp /ʃ/. - The final /p/ is often aspirated or voiced, giving a muffled finish. Fix: end with a short, unaspirated p: close lips, air release quickly, no voicing after the stop. - In rapid speech, the /ɜːr/ may blend with the /ʃ/; you can lose the /r/. Practice with slow scaling to keep /ɜːr/ distinct, then reintroduce linking in connected speech.
- US: emphasize rhotic /ɜːr/ with a clear r-coloring; avoid fully shortening it. The /ʃ/ should be a sharp, unvoiced fricative; ensure the lips are slightly rounded before /ʃ/. - UK: /ˈwɜːʃɪp/ with a slightly shorter rhotic vowel and crisper /ʃ/; non-rhotic tendencies may blur the /r/ in fast speech, relying on vowel quality to signal syllable start. - Australia: may produce /ˈwɔːʃɪp/ with broader vowel in the first syllable and a similar /ʃ/; the final is a crisp /ɪp/; keep the mouth relaxed but precise on /ʃ/. - General tip: keep the core vowel in the first syllable stable across accents; use IPA as the anchor for lip position and tongue height; practice transitions from /w/ to /ɜː/ or /ɔː/ depending on accent. - Visualize mouth positions: for /w/ create lip rounding, then move to a mid-back vowel; for /ʃ/ bring the blade of the tongue toward the palate; for /ɪ/ relax jaw slightly; for /p/ close teeth and lips first before air release.
"The congregation gathered for morning worship and prayed together."
"She expressed her worship through song and ritual."
"Tourists paid homage at the temple, a central act of worship."
"He showed his worship of the artist by attending every exhibit."
Worship comes from Old English wǣrþrā?d (obsolete), later influenced by Old English weorÞscipe, from weorþscipe meaning honour, worthiness, or ceremonial homage. The core notion circulated around assigning worth and reverence to a higher power. By Middle English, worship was linked to paying homage and religious service. The verb form “to worship” developed in the sense of performing rites or showing veneration rather than mere respect. The semantic arc moved from ritual acts to interpersonal idolization in secular domains (as in admiring a person or thing greatly). The word’s Germanic roots tie it to worthiness and reverence, with parallels in other Germanic languages where similar compounds convey the idea of worthiness or service to a superior. First known uses appear in religious and hymnic texts of the early medieval period, solidifying its ceremonial function in Christian worship and other faith traditions. Over centuries, worship evolved to include both communal liturgy and personal devotion, while also expanding to metaphorical forms of admiration in secular contexts. By modern usage, worship covers formal religious rites and intense admiration, sometimes extended to celebrities, achievements, or ideas, preserving its core sense of giving worth to something greater than oneself.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "Worship" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "Worship" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Worship" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Worship"
-hip sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
Worship is pronounced with two syllables: /ˈwɜːr/ + /ʃɪp/. The primary stress is on the first syllable: WOR-ship. In US and UK accents you’ll start with a rhotacized mid back vowel /ɜːr/ (US /ˈwɜːr/), then the /ʃ/ sound blends into /ɪp/; the final consonant is a light /p/. In Australian English, you’ll hear /ˈwɔːʃɪp/ in many speakers, with a slightly more back vowel in the first syllable. For practice, say “wonder” without the n, then attach /ʃɪp/ quickly: WOR-ship.”,
Common mistakes include pronouncing the first syllable as /ˈwɒrʃ/ (merging the vowel to a short /ɒ/ like in broad British) or turning the /ʃ/ into /s/ or /tʃ/ sound. Another error is over-emphasizing the final /p/ making it sound like /ˈwɜːʃɪp/ with an extra puff. Correction: keep the central /ɜːr/ or /ɜː/ vowel quality, release the /ʃ/ as a single consonant before /ɪ/; finish with a clean /p/ by avoiding voicing into the stop. Visualize your mouth: mid-back tongue, lips rounded minimally, and a crisp lip closure for the /p/.”,
In US English, /ˈwɜːrʃɪp/ emphasizes the rhotic /ɜːr/ with a clear rhoticity. UK English often yields /ˈwɜːʃɪp/ with less vocalic length and a slightly crisper /ʃ/ followed by /ɪp/. Australian English may tilt toward /ˈwɔːʃɪp/ or /ˈwɜːʃɪp/ depending on speaker, with a more open /ɔː/ or broad /ɜː/ quality and often non-rhotic tendencies in rapid speech. Regardless, the stress remains on the first syllable and the /ʃ/ acts as a single fricative before /ɪp/. Keep an ear out for rhoticity: US tends to fully vocalize /ɜːr/, UK and AU may reduce it slightly in fast speech.”,
Worship challenges learners due to the mid-back vowel /ɜː/ in stressful syllables and the adjacent /r/ linking, which can make the onset feel tense. The sequence /ˈwɜːr/ blends a rhotic vowel with an immediate /ʃ/, which can trap air and lead to a rushed or softened /ʃ/. Additionally, the final /p/ stands without voicing after the vowel, so it’s easy to add voicing or an aspirated release. Focus on a clean vowel, then a swift /ʃ/ into /ɪp/ with a short, unvoiced /p/.”,
Worship has a subtle lexical stress and a closely packed /ɜːr/ + /ʃ/ sequence. The word’s first syllable is not a heavy “wor-”; it’s a compact, rounded /ɜːr/ followed by /ʃ/. It’s important to keep the /r/ lightly tapped or rolled depending on accent; in non-rhotic speakers, the /r/ may be silent or weak, so the cue is the /ɜː/ vowel quality and the /ʃ/ onset that anchors the syllable. Practicing with minimal pairs like “purse” vs “purrs” can help locate the /ɜːr/ quality before /ʃ/.”]},
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "Worship"!
- Shadowing: listen to a native speaker pronouncing worship (audio or video) and repeat in real time, aiming to match stress and rhythm. Start 15 seconds behind, progress to the exact tempo. - Minimal pairs: for instance compare /wɜːr/ with /wɔː/ to feel vowel variation; compare “worship” with “warship” to isolate /ɜːr/ vs /ɔː/. - Rhythm practice: treat worship as a trochaic pattern (strong-weak): WOR-ship; use metronome at 60 BPM and gradually increase. - Stress practice: keep primary stress on the first syllable; practice combining with other words in a phrase to feel natural rhythm. - Syllable drills: smooth transitions between /w/ and /ɜː/; then /ɜːr/ to /ʃ/; then /ʃ/ to /ɪp/. - Speed progression: slow (intelligible), normal (natural), fast (celerity) with recordings and playback for accuracy. - Context sentences: practice with “Worship is a form of reverence,” and “Music leads worshipers in prayer.” - Recording: record yourself and compare with native samples; note any persistent /r/ or /p/ issues and adjust accordingly.
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