How to pronounce sedate
Say it like suh-DAYT. Sedate has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (DAYT).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce sedate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- suh
- DAYT
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Sedate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- suhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- DAYTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of sedate
American and British speakers say sedate in essentially the same way: /səˈdeɪt/ in the US and /sɪˈdeɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: sih-DAYT.
What does sedate mean?
- Of a person or animal, or their behavior: calm and composed (often in a dignified manner), and avoiding or unaffected by activity or excitement.
- Of an object, particularly a building: not overly ornate or showy; not having a strong color or design.
- Of writing: not emotional; calm, composed.
- To give (a person) a sedative to calm them or put them to sleep; to tranquilize.
Where does sedate come from?
The verb is partly derived from sēdāt-, a participial stem of sēdō (verb sense 2, “to make (someone or something) calm”; see above), and partly a back-formation from sedation (verb sense 1, “to give (a person) a sedative”) + English -ate (suffix forming verbs).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with sedate
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of sedate.
Questions about saying sedate
How do you pronounce sedate?
Say suh-DAYT. The American pronunciation is /səˈdeɪt/. In British English it is /sɪˈdeɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in sedate?
Sedate has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (DAYT). Broken into parts: suh · DAYT.
Do Americans and Brits say sedate the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /səˈdeɪt/ and the British form is /sɪˈdeɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.