How to pronounce "counter example" in English
coun·te·re·xam·ple
Hear native speakers say counter example in context across real video clips
Linguistic Pronunciation Masterclass: “counter example”
Phonetic mechanics, syllable architecture, and conversational cadence
Syllable Architecture & Stress Distribution
coun
Reduced vowel sound, relaxed jaw, and minimal vocal effort.
te
Reduced vowel sound, relaxed jaw, and minimal vocal effort.
re
Reduced vowel sound, relaxed jaw, and minimal vocal effort.
xam
Reduced vowel sound, relaxed jaw, and minimal vocal effort.
ple
Reduced vowel sound, relaxed jaw, and minimal vocal effort.
Keep the vowel length balanced, placing subtle emphasis on the root morpheme according to standard conversational rhythm.
Common Pronunciation Traps & Learner Mistakes
The Trap: Avoid pronouncing every vowel with full acoustic weight. Non-native speakers often over-enunciate unstressed vowels.
How Native Speakers Say It: Only give full vowel clarity to the primary stressed syllable. Relax all unstressed vowels into a neutral, low-energy schwa (⁄ə⁄).
Connected Speech & Natural Conversational Flow
When followed by a vowel, insert a subtle glide (/w/ or /j/) to connect into the subsequent word without an abrupt glottal stop.
Maintain the stress-timed rhythm of English: compress unstressed syllables rapidly so the beat of "counter example" aligns naturally with adjacent words.
Authentic Spoken Quotes from Native Video Context
“Every counter example we've tried has an algorithm for which it works, but they don't match up, so it's frustrating.”— MIT OpenCourseWareWatch clip
“a counter example you just have to generalize a little bit but let me give”— StanfordWatch clip
“1990s Algeria is the counter example to South Africa of course in very different”— Harvard UniversityWatch clip
“counter example may be set back AI by 20 years or more.”— TEDx TalksWatch clip
“A kind of counter example, in a way, explains this.”— YaleCoursesWatch clip
“So this is the counter example to the conjecture.”— Khan AcademyWatch clip
Practice Speaking “counter example”
Listen to native pronunciation, record yourself repeating the sentence into your microphone, and receive real-time word-by-word accuracy scoring.
Every counter example we've tried has an algorithm for which it works, but they don't match up, so it's frustrating.
Hear it in context: “counter example”
158 clipsThe English word “counter example”. Phonologically, it consists of 5 syllables (coun · te · re · xam · ple). Grammatically, “counter example” functions as a noun. SayItVid indexes 158 authentic English video clips demonstrating how native speakers articulate “counter example” in natural connected speech across American (US: 8 sampled), British (UK), and Australian (AUS) accents, including verified broadcasts from MIT OpenCourseWare, Stanford, Harvard University.
Spoken Video Transcripts & Contextual Quotes (5 Verified Clips)
- 🇺🇸 USMIT OpenCourseWareClip #1 · @68:32
“Every algorithm we've tried has a counter example. Every counter example we've tried has an algorithm for which it works, but they don't match up, so it's frustrating. has an algorithm for which it works,”
- 🇺🇸 USStanfordClip #2 · @30:15
“of conserved quantum numbers conserved quantities but obviously it's not really a counter example you just have to generalize a little bit but let me give you now an example which is really much worse and the much worse example goes”
- 🇺🇸 USHarvard UniversityClip #3 · @15:56
“independence and its later murderous Civil War in the 1990s Algeria is the counter example to South Africa of course in very different circumstances and especially perhaps with a different type of”
- 🇺🇸 USTEDx TalksClip #4 · @5:54
“arguably included who would say that one counter example may be set back AI by 20 years or more. years or more.”
- 🇺🇸 USYaleCoursesClip #5 · @38:09
“who were conquered. A kind of counter example, in a way, explains this. In Cordoba, the capital of the Umayyad caliphate, or”
Definition & Meaning: “counter example”
- An example that counters a general rule; an exception to a general rule; a specific instance of the falsity of (and falsifiability of) any proposed universal applicability of a rule or statement.
Example Sentences (2)
- “Every counter example we've tried has an algorithm for which it works, but they don't match up, so it's frustrating.”
- “a counter example you just have to generalize a little bit but let me give”
Pronounce: “counter example”
- Syllables:
- coun · te · re · xam · ple
- Hear it in context
- counter example
Words that Sound Identical (Homophones)
Unique Sound"counter example" has no true homophones in standard English — there are no other words with identical pronunciation. Unlike sound-alike pairs like there / their or peace / piece, "counter example" has a completely distinct phonetic identity.
Frequently asked questions about counter example
How many syllables are in “counter example”?
“counter example” has 5 syllables: coun · te · re · xam · ple.
What does “counter example” mean?
An example that counters a general rule; an exception to a general rule; a specific instance of the falsity of (and falsifiability of) any proposed universal applicability of a rule or statement.
How can I hear “counter example” used in real sentences?
This page has 158 real-world video examples of “counter example” with synchronized subtitles. Use Previous / Next (or ← / → keys) to hear each one at the exact moment it is spoken.
What is the most common pronunciation mistake when saying “counter example”?
Avoid pronouncing every vowel with full acoustic weight. Non-native speakers often over-enunciate unstressed vowels. Only give full vowel clarity to the primary stressed syllable. Relax all unstressed vowels into a neutral, low-energy schwa (⁄ə⁄).