How To Pronounce Merit

merit

Phonemic

/ˈmer.ɪt/

Phonetic

[ˈmer.ɪt̚]

Phonemic

/ˈmer.ɪt/

In British English, merit is pronounced /ˈmer.ɪt/. The narrow phonetic transcription is [ˈmer.ɪt̚]. In American English, it is pronounced /ˈmer.ɪt/.

Merit has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first syllable. British and American speakers say it the same way.

Slashes / / show the phonemic transcription, the sounds that change meaning. Square brackets [ ] show the phonetic transcription, with the finer detail of how the sounds are actually made.

Syllables, Stress And Endings

Syllables And Stress

merɪt

Merit has two syllables in British English, and the main stress is on the first syllable, shown in colour above. Its stress pattern is Oo, where O is the stressed syllable.

merit + -s

-s (plural, possessive or singular verb) is /s/ after a voiceless consonant.

/ˈmer.ɪts/

merit + -ed

-ed (past tense or past participle) is /ɪd/ after /t/ or /d/.

/ˈmer.ɪ.tɪd/

/ˈmer.ɪ.t̯ɪd/

merit + -ing

-ing is always /ɪŋ/.

/ˈmer.ɪ.tɪŋ/

/ˈmer.ɪ.t̯ɪŋ/

Words That Rhyme With Merit

Questions About Merit

How do you pronounce merit in British English?

In British English, merit is pronounced /ˈmer.ɪt/. The narrow phonetic transcription is [ˈmer.ɪt̚].

How do you pronounce merit in American English?

In American English, merit is pronounced /ˈmer.ɪt/.

How many syllables are in merit?

Merit has two syllables, /mer/ + /ɪt/.

Where is the stress in merit?

The main stress is on the first syllable, /mer/.

Do British and American English pronounce merit the same way?

Yes. Both are /ˈmer.ɪt/.

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Other Words With The Stress Pattern Oo

Nearby Words

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