How to pronounce compensate
Say it like KAHM-pun-sayt. Compensate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KAHM).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce compensate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KAHM
- pun
- sayt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Compensate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KAHMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- punKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- saytGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of compensate
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: KOM-pun-sayt.
What does compensate mean?
- adjust for“engineers will work to correct the effects or air resistance”
- make amends for; pay compensation for“One can never fully repair the suffering and losses of the Jews in the Third Reich”“She was compensated for the loss of her arm in the accident”
- make up for shortcomings or a feeling of inferiority by exaggerating good qualities“he is compensating for being a bad father”
Where does compensate come from?
Borrowed from Latin compēnsātus, perfect passive participle of compensō (“to weight together one thing against another, balance, make good”), -ate (verb-forming suffix) for more.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying compensate
How do you pronounce compensate?
Say KAHM-pun-sayt. The American pronunciation is /ˈkɑmpənˌseɪt/. In British English it is /ˈkɒmpənˌseɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in compensate?
Compensate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KAHM). Broken into parts: KAHM · pun · sayt.
Is compensate pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ˈkɒmpənˌseɪt/ (KOM-pun-sayt).