How to pronounce contemplate
Say it like KAHN-tum-playt. Contemplate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KAHN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce contemplate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KAHN
- tum
- playt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Contemplate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KAHNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- tumKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- playtGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of contemplate
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: KON-tum-playt.
What does contemplate mean?
- To look at on all sides or in all its aspects; to view or consider with continued attention; to regard with deliberate care; to meditate on; to study, ponder, or consider.
- To consider as a possibility.“I contemplated doing the project myself, but it would have taken too long.”
Where does contemplate come from?
First attested in the 1590s; borrowed from Latin contemplātus, the perfect active participle of contemplor (“to observe, survey, gaze (at), contemplate”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying contemplate
How do you pronounce contemplate?
Say KAHN-tum-playt. The American pronunciation is /ˈkɑntəmˌpleɪt/. In British English it is /ˈkɒntəmˌpleɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in contemplate?
Contemplate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KAHN). Broken into parts: KAHN · tum · playt.
Is contemplate 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 /ˈkɒntəmˌpleɪt/ (KON-tum-playt).