How to pronounce abstentious
Say it like ab-STEN-shus. Abstentious has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (STEN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce abstentious. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ab
- STEN
- shus
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Abstentious pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- abKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- STENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- shusKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of abstentious
American and British speakers say abstentious in essentially the same way: /æbˈstɛnʃəs/ in the US and /æbˈstɛnʃəs/ in the UK.
British respelling: ab-STEN-shus.
What does abstentious mean?
- Characterized by abstinence; self-restraint.
Where does abstentious come from?
From abstention + -ous.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with abstentious
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of abstentious.
Questions about saying abstentious
How do you pronounce abstentious?
Say ab-STEN-shus. The American pronunciation is /æbˈstɛnʃəs/. In British English it is /æbˈstɛnʃəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in abstentious?
Abstentious has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (STEN). Broken into parts: ab · STEN · shus.
Do Americans and Brits say abstentious the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /æbˈstɛnʃəs/ and the British form is /æbˈstɛnʃəs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.