How to pronounce "defense" in EnglishNoun
dɪˈfɛns
dih·FENS
Primary stress: FENS
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No video clips indexed yet for “defense”
We haven’t indexed spoken video clips for this word in our library yet. You can listen to its audio pronunciation, review phonetic IPA, and check definitions below.
Linguistic Pronunciation Masterclass: “defense”
Phonetic mechanics, syllable architecture, and conversational cadence
Syllable Architecture & Stress Distribution
dih
Reduced vowel sound, relaxed jaw, and minimal vocal effort.
FENS
Elevated pitch, sustained vowel length, and full acoustic clarity.
Primary emphasis falls on the second syllable ("FENS"). Raise your pitch and sustain the vowel length on this syllable while relaxing the surrounding syllables.
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.
In natural sentences, avoid over-stressing "defense" unless it conveys the core contrast or focal point of your message.
Practice Speaking “defense”
Listen to native pronunciation, record yourself repeating the sentence into your microphone, and receive real-time word-by-word accuracy scoring.
In fact, there is an increase in the effectiveness of the Five Cutter Offense when teams put pressure on, instead of sagging or switching in an attempt to defense the attack successfully.
Hear it in context: “defense”
The English word “defense” is transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as dɪˈfɛns (phonetic respelling: dih-FENS). Phonologically, it consists of 2 syllables (dih · FENS), with primary lexical stress placed on the 2nd syllable (FENS). Grammatically, “defense” functions as a noun, verb and acts as an English heteronym where syllable stress shifts between noun (initial-syllable stress) and verb (second-syllable stress) usage. Hear native speakers say defense in context across real video clips
Definition & Meaning: “defense”
- The action of defending or protecting from attack, danger, or injury.
- Anything employed to oppose attack(s).
- To employ defensive tactics (so as to block).
Example Sentences (1)
- “In fact, there is an increase in the effectiveness of the Five Cutter Offense when teams put pressure on, instead of sagging or switching in an attempt to defense the attack successfully.”
Pronounce: “defense”
- Pronunciation:
- dih-FENS
- Syllables:
- dih · FENS
- Written Hyphenation:
- de · fense
- Primary stress:
- FENS
- IPA:
- dɪˈfɛns
- Hear it in context
- defense
Synonyms: “defense”
Hear words related in meaning to “defense” in real video clips:
Words that Rhyme with “defense”
-ɛnsWords that Sound Identical (Homophones)
Unique Sound"defense" (⁄dɪˈfɛns⁄) 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, "defense" has a completely distinct phonetic identity.
Frequently asked questions about defense
How do you pronounce “defense”?
“defense” is pronounced ⁄dɪˈfɛns⁄ (dih-FENS). Listen to the audio pronunciation above to hear it spoken clearly.
How many syllables are in “defense”?
“defense” has 2 syllables: dih · FENS.
Where is the stress in “defense”?
The primary stress in “defense” is on “FENS”.
What does “defense” mean?
The action of defending or protecting from attack, danger, or injury.
What is the most common pronunciation mistake when saying “defense”?
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⁄).