How to pronounce "obsequies" in English
ˈɒbsəkwiːz
OB·sək·weez
Primary stress: OB
Hear native speakers say obsequies in context across real video clips
Linguistic Pronunciation Masterclass: “obsequies”
Phonetic mechanics, syllable architecture, and conversational cadence
Syllable Architecture & Stress Distribution
OB
Tense long vowel with sustained acoustic resonance.
sək
Neutral schwa (⁄ə⁄): relaxed jaw, brief unstressed breath.
weez
Neutral schwa (⁄ə⁄): relaxed jaw, brief unstressed breath.
Primary emphasis falls on the first syllable ("OB"). 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 "obsequies" is followed by a word starting with a vowel, glide the final consonant into the opening vowel (e.g. "obsequies is" sounds like "obsequies-iz").
Maintain the stress-timed rhythm of English: compress unstressed syllables rapidly so the beat of "obsequies" aligns naturally with adjacent words.
Authentic Spoken Quotes from Native Video Context
“The title of the book is Justa Eduardo King naufrago, Obsequies on Edward King, Lost at Sea or Drowned.”— YaleCoursesWatch clip
“In expectation of Sharp's death, there'd been a testy exchange about the precise form of words to be used in the service and who was to deliver the obsequies.”— StanfordWatch clip
Practice Speaking “obsequies”
Listen to native pronunciation, record yourself repeating the sentence into your microphone, and receive real-time word-by-word accuracy scoring.
The title of the book is Justa Eduardo King naufrago, Obsequies on Edward King, Lost at Sea or Drowned.
Hear it in context: “obsequies”
2 clipsThe English word “obsequies” is transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as ˈɒbsəkwiːz (phonetic respelling: OB-sək-weez). Phonologically, it consists of 3 syllables (OB · sək · weez), with primary lexical stress placed on the 1st (initial) syllable (OB). Grammatically, “obsequies” functions as a noun. SayItVid indexes 2 authentic English video clips demonstrating how native speakers articulate “obsequies” in natural connected speech across American (US: 2 sampled), British (UK), and Australian (AUS) accents, including verified broadcasts from YaleCourses, Stanford.
Spoken Video Transcripts & Contextual Quotes (2 Verified Clips)
- 🇺🇸 USYaleCoursesClip #1 · @8:55
“anthology of poems in his honor. This is on the handout. The title of the book is Justa Eduardo King naufrago, Obsequies on Edward King, Lost at Sea or Drowned. Obsequies on Edward King, Lost at Sea or Drowned.”
- 🇺🇸 USStanfordClip #2 · @12:13
“the Church of England, the Episcopalian Church. In expectation of Sharp's death, there'd been a testy exchange about the precise form of words to be used in the service and who was to deliver the obsequies. I form of words to be used in the service and who was to deliver the obsequies. I”
Definition & Meaning: “obsequies”
- Funeral rites.
Example Sentences (3)
- “A murmur of astonishment ran through the chapel. It was hushed instantly, for, at a sign from Lord Avonleigh, the coffin was carried into the vault; and again the voice of the priest was the only sound, breathing the last and solemn benediction of the mournful obsequies.”
- “The title of the book is Justa Eduardo King naufrago, Obsequies on Edward King, Lost at Sea or Drowned.”
- “In expectation of Sharp's death, there'd been a testy exchange about the precise form of words to be used in the service and who was to deliver the obsequies. I”
Common Phrases & Collocations
Pronounce: “obsequies”
- Pronunciation:
- OB-sək-weez
- Syllables:
- OB · sək · weez
- Written Hyphenation:
- ob · seq · uies
- Primary stress:
- OB
- IPA:
- ˈɒbsəkwiːz
- Hear it in context
- obsequies
Words that Rhyme with “obsequies”
-ɒbsəkwizWords that Sound Identical (Homophones)
Unique Sound"obsequies" (⁄ˈɒbsəkwiːz⁄) 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, "obsequies" has a completely distinct phonetic identity.
Frequently asked questions about obsequies
How do you pronounce “obsequies”?
“obsequies” is pronounced ⁄ˈɒbsəkwiːz⁄ (OB-sək-weez). Listen to the native-speaker clips above to hear it in real conversation.
How many syllables are in “obsequies”?
“obsequies” has 3 syllables: OB · sək · weez.
Where is the stress in “obsequies”?
The primary stress in “obsequies” is on “OB”. Listen for that stressed syllable in the clips above.
What does “obsequies” mean?
Funeral rites.
How can I hear “obsequies” used in real sentences?
This page has 2 real-world video examples of “obsequies” 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 “obsequies”?
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⁄).