How to pronounce distinguished
Say it like dih-STING-gwisht. Distinguished has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (STING).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce distinguished. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- dih
- STING
- gwisht
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Distinguished 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.
- STINGSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- gwishtKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of distinguished
American and British speakers say distinguished in essentially the same way: /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃt/ in the US and /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃt/ in the UK.
British respelling: dih-STING-gwisht.
What does distinguished mean?
- (used of persons) standing above others in character or attainment or reputation“our distinguished professor”
- used of a person's appearance or behavior; befitting an eminent person“his distinguished bearing”“the monarch's imposing presence”
Where does distinguished come from?
From distinguish + -ed.
Words that rhyme with distinguished
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of distinguished.
Questions about saying distinguished
How do you pronounce distinguished?
Say dih-STING-gwisht. The American pronunciation is /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃt/. In British English it is /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in distinguished?
Distinguished has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (STING). Broken into parts: dih · STING · gwisht.
Do Americans and Brits say distinguished the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃt/ and the British form is /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.