How to pronounce replicate in American English

IPA /ˈrɛpləˌkeɪt/ Syllables 3 · reh·pluh·kayt Stress 1st syllable
REH·pluh·kayt
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Americans pronounce replicate as REH-pluh-kayt (/ˈrɛpləˌkeɪt/). The unstressed syllable reduces to a lazy schwa — almost a quick "uh" — instead of being pronounced fully. Stress falls on the first syllable — keep everything else short and quick.

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Common mistakes

Releasing the final consonant with a puff of air.

In "replicate", the "" is not released — the articulators get into position but hold without the burst of air. Air stops but there's no release burst — the articulators hold position.

Stressing the wrong syllable.

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

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Why it sounds different

Why "replicate" sounds like REH·pluh·KAYT.

In "replicate", the "" is not released — the articulators get into position but hold without the burst of air. This is called the Unreleased Stops, a small move that separates 'classroom' from 'native'. It comes out as REH·pluh·KAYT.

In real conversation

Hear "replicate" in the wild.

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

"Cells divide and replicate through a process called mitosis."
SEHLZ duh·VAHYD and REH·pluh·kayt throo uh PRAH·sehs KAHLD mahy·TOH·suhs
Watch out

Common pronunciation mistakes in American English.

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

01

Releasing the final consonant with a puff of air.

In "replicate", the "" is not released — the articulators get into position but hold without the burst of air. Air stops but there's no release burst — the articulators hold position.

replicateREH·pluh·KAYT
02

Stressing the wrong syllable.

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

reh·PLUH·KAYTREH·pluh·KAYT
03

Pronouncing the unstressed syllable too fully.

Don't pronounce the first syllable too fully. The unstressed syllable reduces to a schwa — the lazy "uh" sound — in casual speech.

REH·PLUH·kaytREH·pluh·KAYT
Questions

Questions people ask about this.

How is "replicate" stressed in American English?
Stress falls on the first syllable — say "REH" with a longer, fuller vowel and keep every other syllable short and quick. The respell "REH-pluh-kayt" marks the stressed syllable in capitals so the rhythm is easy to read at a glance.
Why does the second syllable in "replicate" 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 "REH-pluh-kayt" shows the reduced form so you can hear the casual rhythm directly.
Is the American pronunciation of "replicate" 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 "REH-pluh-kayt" reflects the casual American form; British dictionaries typically print a citation form with crisper consonants and different vowel choices.

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