How to pronounce inundate
Say it like IN-un-dayt. Inundate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (IN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce inundate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- IN
- un
- dayt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Inundate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- INSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- unKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- daytGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of inundate
American and British speakers say inundate in essentially the same way: /ˈɪnənˌdeɪt/ in the US and /ˈɪnənˌdeɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: IN-un-dayt.
What does inundate mean?
- To cover with large amounts of water; to flood.“The Dutch would sometimes inundate the land to hinder the Spanish army.”
- To overwhelm.“The agency was inundated with phone calls.”
Where does inundate come from?
First attested in 1623; borrowed from Latin inundātus, the perfect passive participle of inundō (“to flood, overflow”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from in- + undō (“to overflow, wave”), from unda (“wave”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying inundate
How do you pronounce inundate?
Say IN-un-dayt. The American pronunciation is /ˈɪnənˌdeɪt/. In British English it is /ˈɪnənˌdeɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in inundate?
Inundate has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (IN). Broken into parts: IN · un · dayt.
Do Americans and Brits say inundate the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈɪnənˌdeɪt/ and the British form is /ˈɪnənˌdeɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.