Home › Glossary › Letter S

Stress

Meter
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

The relative emphasis or prominence given to a syllable in spoken language or metrical verse, forming the basis of accentual and accentual-syllabic prosody.

Detailed Definition
Stress in poetry denotes the relative emphasis or prominence given to a syllable in pronunciation, forming the basis of metrical patterns in accentual and accentual-syllabic verse; understanding stress is essential for scanning lines, identifying feet (e.g., iamb, trochee), and interpreting rhythmic effects that shape a poem’s tone and meaning.
Example
Example in poetry:
Stress defines English meter: iambic (u –), trochaic (– u); Shakespeare’s “Shall I compare thee” uses iambic stress; modern example: Gwendolyn Brooks’ “We Real Cool” uses jazz stress patterns; stress organizes poetic rhythm; it’s central to scansion; this feature distinguishes English from syllabic meters.
Additional Notes
Stress: The emphasis placed on a syllable in pronunciation; the foundation of English meter; patterns of stress create rhythm and define metrical feet.
Other Meanings of “Stress”
Also Known As
Accent Emphasis Ictus Beat Arsis Overwhelm Strain Anxiety Tension Worry
Skip to main content