examples

IPA /əɡˈzæmpəlz/ Syllables 3 · uhg·zam·puhlz Stress 2nd syllable
uhg·ZAM·puhlz
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Americans pronounce examples as uhg-ZAM-puhlz (/əɡˈzæmpəlz/). The unstressed syllable reduces to a lazy schwa — almost a quick "uh" — instead of being pronounced fully. Stress falls on the second syllable — keep everything else short and quick.

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Common mistakes

Pronouncing the vowel before M/N too pure.

In "examples", the "a" vowel before M or N raises and fronts toward [eə] — the tongue pulls up and forward, breaking the vowel into a tense glide as it anticipates the nasal. The "/æ/" vowel raises and fronts before M or N — tongue pulls up and forward, producing a tense [eə] glide (between /e/ and /ə/). Not a pure /æ/.

Treating every L the same.

The L in "examples" is a dark L — the back of the tongue rises toward the soft palate, adding a small "uh" quality before the L. Dark L adds a small schwa-like "uh" before the L. The back of the tongue lifts toward the soft palate.

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Why it sounds different

Why "examples" sounds like uhg·ZAM·puhlz.

In "examples", the short unstressed vowel before "" disappears — the schwa is absorbed and the "" becomes the syllable nucleus on its own. This is called the Silent Schwa Before L/M/N/R, the kind of sound shift that makes everyday speech feel effortless. It comes out as uhg·ZAM·puhlz.

In real conversation

Hear "examples" in the wild.

Click any sentence to see the full breakdown — every link, every reduction, every flap-T.

"He learned best when he could apply concepts to real examples."
hee LURND BEHST wehn hee kuud uh·PLAHY KAHN·sehpts tuh REEL uhg·ZAM·puhlz
Same pattern

Words that work the same way.

All of these share phonetic features with this word — same trick.

uhg·ZAMZexamsSAM·puhlzsamplesihg·ZA·muh·NAY·shuhnexaminationuhg·ZA·muhndexaminedPROH·gramzprogramsuhg·ZAMexamGRAN·MUH·dherzgrandmother'sKA·muhlzcamels
Watch out

Common pronunciation mistakes in American English.

The textbook way isn't wrong — it's just not how anyone actually says it.

01

Pronouncing the vowel before M/N too pure.

In "examples", the "a" vowel before M or N raises and fronts toward [eə] — the tongue pulls up and forward, breaking the vowel into a tense glide as it anticipates the nasal. The "/æ/" vowel raises and fronts before M or N — tongue pulls up and forward, producing a tense [eə] glide (between /e/ and /ə/). Not a pure /æ/.

uhg-ZAM-puhlz→uhg·ZAM·puhlz
02

Treating every L the same.

The L in "examples" is a dark L — the back of the tongue rises toward the soft palate, adding a small "uh" quality before the L. Dark L adds a small schwa-like "uh" before the L. The back of the tongue lifts toward the soft palate.

examples→uhg·ZAM·puhlz
03

Inserting a vowel before the syllabic consonant.

In "examples", the short unstressed vowel before "" disappears — the schwa is absorbed and the "" becomes the syllable nucleus on its own. Schwa is absorbed — consonant becomes the syllable nucleus.

examples→uhg·ZAM·puhlz
04

Stressing the wrong syllable.

Stress falls on the second syllable, not the others. Stretch ZAM — keep everything else short and quick.

UHG·zam·PUHLZ→uhg·ZAM·puhlz
Questions

Questions people ask about this.

How is "examples" stressed in American English?
Stress falls on the second syllable — say "ZAM" with a longer, fuller vowel and keep every other syllable short and quick. The respell "uhg-ZAM-puhlz" marks the stressed syllable in capitals so the rhythm is easy to read at a glance.
Why does the first syllable in "examples" reduce to "uh"?
Unstressed syllables in American English collapse toward a schwa — a lazy, neutral "uh" sound. The full vowel is what textbooks teach, but in actual American speech every unstressed vowel reduces. The respell "uhg-ZAM-puhlz" shows the reduced form so you can hear the casual rhythm directly.
Is the American pronunciation of "examples" different from British English?
American English uses different vowel shapes, a relaxed retroflex R, and connected-speech tricks like flap-T and glottal-stop T that British Received Pronunciation generally avoids. The respell "uhg-ZAM-puhlz" reflects the casual American form; British dictionaries typically print a citation form with crisper consonants and different vowel choices.

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