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How to pronounce "segregate" in EnglishVerb

segregate is pronounced ˈsɛɡ.rɪ.ɡeɪt, with primary stress on the “SEG” syllable. Listen to the audio pronunciation and review phonetic syllables below.

ˈsɛɡ.rɪ.ɡeɪt

SEG·rih·gayt

Primary stress: SEG

Accent:
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IPAˈsɛɡ.rɪ.ɡeɪt
SaySEG-rih-gayt
SyllablesSEG · rih · gayt

Linguistic Pronunciation Masterclass: “segregate”

Phonetic mechanics, syllable architecture, and conversational cadence

ˈsɛɡ.rɪ.ɡeɪt

Syllable Architecture & Stress Distribution

Syllable 1Primary Stress

SEG

Gliding diphthong with sustained vocal resonance.

Syllable 2Unstressed

rih

Reduced vowel sound, relaxed jaw, and minimal vocal effort.

Syllable 3Unstressed

gayt

Reduced vowel sound, relaxed jaw, and minimal vocal effort.

Primary emphasis falls on the first syllable ("SEG"). Raise your pitch and sustain the vowel length on this syllable while relaxing the surrounding syllables.

Common Pronunciation Traps & Learner Mistakes

⚠️ Intervocalic Tap / Flap [ɾ] in American English

The Trap: Pronouncing a hard, aspirated [tʰ] in casual conversation can sound overly formal in North America.

How Native Speakers Say It: In American English, a single "t" between vowels quickly taps against the alveolar ridge like a soft "d" ([ɾ]). In British English, maintain a crisp aspirated [tʰ].

Connected Speech & Natural Conversational Flow

🔗 Consonant-Vowel Linking (Liaison)

When followed by a vowel, insert a subtle glide (/w/ or /j/) to connect into the subsequent word without an abrupt glottal stop.

⏱️ Stress-Timed Rhythm

Maintain the stress-timed rhythm of English: compress unstressed syllables rapidly so the beat of "segregate" aligns naturally with adjacent words.

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Practice Speaking “segregate”

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IPA:ˈsɛɡ.rɪ.ɡeɪt
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Target Phrase:

One aim of the reorganisation on both routes is to segregate completely the operation of the District and Tilbury Lines between London and Upminster, removing physical connections between the two.

Hear it in context: “segregate”

The English word “segregate” is transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as ˈsɛɡ.rɪ.ɡeɪt (phonetic respelling: SEG-rih-gayt). Phonologically, it consists of 3 syllables (SEG · rih · gayt), with primary lexical stress placed on the 1st (initial) syllable (SEG). Grammatically, “segregate” functions as a adjective, verb, noun 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 segregate in context across real video clips

Definition & Meaning: “segregate”

Audio
ADJECTIVE
  • Separate; select.
  • Separated from others of the same kind.
VERB
  • To separate.
  • In particular, to separate and organize by characteristics.
NOUN
  • An entity that is separated in some way from a reference group or entity.

Example Sentences (2)

  • “One aim of the reorganisation on both routes is to segregate completely the operation of the District and Tilbury Lines between London and Upminster, removing physical connections between the two.”
  • “Please segregate the pairs of shoes by size into their respective boxes.”

Pronounce: “segregate”

Pronunciation:
SEG-rih-gayt
Syllables:
SEG · rih · gayt
Written Hyphenation:
seg · re · gate
Primary stress:
SEG
IPA:
ˈsɛɡ.rɪ.ɡeɪt
Hear it in context
segregate

Words that Rhyme with “segregate”

-ɛgrɪgeɪt
View all 26 rhymes for “segregate”

Words that Sound Identical (Homophones)

Unique Sound
Explore 800+ homophone pairs

"segregate" (⁄ˈsɛɡ.rɪ.ɡeɪt⁄) 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, "segregate" has a completely distinct phonetic identity.

Frequently asked questions about segregate

How do you pronounce “segregate”?

“segregate” is pronounced ⁄ˈsɛɡ.rɪ.ɡeɪt⁄ (SEG-rih-gayt). Listen to the audio pronunciation above to hear it spoken clearly.

How many syllables are in “segregate”?

“segregate” has 3 syllables: SEG · rih · gayt.

Where is the stress in “segregate”?

The primary stress in “segregate” is on “SEG”.

What does “segregate” mean?

Separate; select.

What is the most common pronunciation mistake when saying “segregate”?

Pronouncing a hard, aspirated [tʰ] in casual conversation can sound overly formal in North America. In American English, a single "t" between vowels quickly taps against the alveolar ridge like a soft "d" ([ɾ]). In British English, maintain a crisp aspirated [tʰ].