How to pronounce deliberate
Say it like dih-LIB-uh-rut. Deliberate has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LIB).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce deliberate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- dih
- LIB
- uh
- rut
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Deliberate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- dihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- LIBSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- rutKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of deliberate
American and British speakers say deliberate in essentially the same way: /dɪˈlɪbərət/ in the US and /dɪˈlɪbərɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: dih-LIB-uh-rit.
What does deliberate mean?
- carefully thought out in advance“a calculated insult”“with measured irony”
- unhurried and with care and dignity“walking at the same measured pace”“with all deliberate speed”
- characterized by conscious design or purpose“intentional damage”“a knowing act of fraud”
- think about carefully; weigh“They considered the possibility of a strike”“Turn the proposal over in your mind”
- discuss the pros and cons of an issue
Where does deliberate come from?
Inherited from Middle English deliberat(e), borrowed from Latin dēlīberātus, perfect passive participle of dēlīberō (“to consider, weigh well”) (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) and -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from dē- + *līberō / lībrō
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying deliberate
How do you pronounce deliberate?
Say dih-LIB-uh-rut. The American pronunciation is /dɪˈlɪbərət/. In British English it is /dɪˈlɪbərɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in deliberate?
Deliberate has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LIB). Broken into parts: dih · LIB · uh · rut.
Do Americans and Brits say deliberate the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /dɪˈlɪbərət/ and the British form is /dɪˈlɪbərɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.