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stressed syllable

Sound
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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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

A syllable articulated with greater vocal force or duration than adjacent syllables, forming the backbone of metrical stress.

Detailed Definition
A stressed syllable is a syllable within a word or line of poetry that receives greater vocal emphasis or duration than its neighbors, forming the backbone of metrical patterns in English verse; the placement and variation of stressed syllables create rhythm, highlight key words, and convey emotional nuance, serving as the primary engine of poetic musicality and expressive force.
Example
Example in poetry:
In “To BE or NOT to BE,” capitalized syllables indicate stressed syllables; “The CURfew TOLLS the KNELL” shows stress on first syllable of each foot; iambic lines stress second syllables (“aRISE,” “deCIDE”); trochaic lines like “TYger TYger” stress first syllables.
Additional Notes
A stressed syllable carries metrical or rhythmic emphasis; in English, stress often determines foot boundaries and contributes to a line’s musicality and meaning.
Also Known As
Accent strong syllable metrical beat prosodic emphasis Ictus rhythmic stress
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