unaccented

/ʌnˈæksentɪd/ (bre, ipa) · /ʌnˈæksentɪd/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌən-ˈak-ˌsen-təd How to pronounce unaccented (audio) chiefly British -sən-/ (ame, mw)

unaccented — adjective

  • unaccentedpositive
  • more unaccentedcomparative
  • most unaccentedsuperlative

1. describing speech where the speaker's pronunciation does not reveal their place

1.形容詞B2
釋義

describing speech where the speaker's pronunciation does not reveal their place of origin or native language background — the sound is neutral rather than identifiably regional or foreign

例句

The news anchor spoke unaccented English that viewers across the country could easily follow.

collocation: unaccented + language name

After living in London for two years, Javier's Spanish remained completely unaccented.

同義詞
  • neutral

    often preferred because it avoids the implication that a regional accent is undesirable

  • standard

    adds a judgment of correctness or prestige that unaccented does not carry

  • accent-free

    less formal and more direct, but less common in writing

反義詞
  • accented

    direct opposite — speech that clearly shows where the speaker is from

  • regional

    describes speech strongly marked by a particular area

文法句型

unaccented + noun (speech, English, voice)

verb + unaccented (sounds, remains)

用法筆記

Predicative use (e.g., 'Her English sounds unaccented') is common. Distinguish from sense 2, which applies to syllables rather than whole speech.

常見錯誤

❌She speaks unaccented English, meaning she has no accent at all.
✅She speaks unaccented English, meaning her accent sounds neutral and cannot be linked to a specific region.
💡Every speaker has some accent; unaccented means it is not noticeably regional or foreign.

2. used of a syllable or vowel in a word that receives less force or emphasis in pr

2.形容詞B2
釋義

used of a syllable or vowel in a word that receives less force or emphasis in pronunciation compared with the stressed syllable

例句

In the word 'banana,' the first and last syllables are unaccented.

pattern: unaccented syllable in a word

Linguistics students learn to identify accented and unaccented vowels in spoken English.

opposition: accented vs. unaccented

同義詞
  • unstressed

    the most common direct synonym in phonetics; interchangeable in most contexts

  • weak

    describes the reduced quality of the vowel sound in an unaccented syllable

  • light

    less technical, used mainly in poetry discussions

反義詞
  • stressed

    the most direct opposite — a syllable spoken with greater force

  • accented

    synonym of stressed in this context; the syllable that carries the word's emphasis

文法句型

unaccented + noun (syllable, vowel, beat)

用法筆記

This sense belongs to phonetics and poetry analysis. The opposite term is stressed or accented. Do not use this sense to describe whole sentences or phrases — it applies only to individual syllables and vowels within a word.

常見錯誤

❌The word hello has two unaccented syllables.' (if meaning both are weak)
✅The word hello has one accented syllable and one unaccented syllable.
💡Every word usually has at least one stressed syllable; not all syllables can be unaccented.