How to pronounce alienation
Say it like ay-lee-uh-NAY-shun. Alienation has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the fourth one (NAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce alienation. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ay
- lee
- uh
- NAY
- shun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Alienation pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ayGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- leeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- NAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- shunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of alienation
American and British speakers say alienation in essentially the same way: /ˌeɪliəˈneɪʃən/ in the US and /ˌeɪliəˈneɪʃən/ in the UK.
British respelling: ay-lee-uh-NAY-shun.
What does alienation mean?
- The act of alienating.“The alienation of that viewing demographic is a poor business decision.”
- The state of being alienated.“His alienation from his family means he has nowhere to go at Christmas.”
- Emotional isolation or dissociation, as from being separated from social connections or estranged from one's family or community; a feeling of being an outsider.“I didn't care about anything back then, not holidays or family or my career, I felt utter alienation from everything around me.”
Where does alienation come from?
From Middle English alienacioun, from Old French alienacion, from Latin aliēnātiōn(em).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with alienation
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of alienation.
- information
- education
- situation
- association
- population
- station
- administration
- operation
- organization
- application
Questions about saying alienation
How do you pronounce alienation?
Say ay-lee-uh-NAY-shun. The American pronunciation is /ˌeɪliəˈneɪʃən/. In British English it is /ˌeɪliəˈneɪʃən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in alienation?
Alienation has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the fourth one (NAY). Broken into parts: ay · lee · uh · NAY · shun.
Do Americans and Brits say alienation the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌeɪliəˈneɪʃən/ and the British form is /ˌeɪliəˈneɪʃən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.