Pronunciation

How to pronounce “compensation

“compensation” is pronounced /ˌkɑmpənˈseɪʃən/ (kahm-puhn-SAY-shuhn) in American English and /kɒmpənseɪʃən/ in British English — 4 syllables, stressed on “sat”.
The sound

Say “compensation” in 4 beats

Say it like this

compensation

/ˌkɑmpənˈseɪʃən/

The voice you hear here is American; the British form is /kɒmpənseɪʃən/ (see the table below), and a British voice is available in the app's settings.

4 beats
  1. comkɑm
  2. penpən
  3. satseɪstress
  4. ionʃən
IPA (American)
/ˌkɑmpənˈseɪʃən/
IPA (British)
/kɒmpənseɪʃən/
Respelling
kahm-puhn-SAY-shuhn
Syllables
4 — com-pen-SAT-ion
Stress
Stress the third syllable: com-pen-SAT-ion. “sat” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllables fall away from it.
Part of speech
noun
Difficulty
Pro — the sounds are ordinary, the rhythm is where it slips
Accents

American and British are not the same here

American

/ˌkɑmpənˈseɪʃən/

British

/kɒmpənseɪʃən/

No audio here: sayit’s voice is American, so a British button would play the American word. Read the transcription instead.

Meaning

What “compensation” means

  1. noun

    something (such as money) given or received as payment or reparation (as for a service or loss or injury)

  2. noun

    (psychiatry) a defense mechanism that conceals your undesirable shortcomings by exaggerating desirable behaviors

  3. noun

    the act of compensating for service or loss or injury

Say it in a sentence

The compensation package included six months of pay.
Sound by sound

The sounds inside this word

9 sounds, in the order you say them

Each sound has its own page: where the tongue goes, what it is usually confused with, and words to drill it on.

Questions

compensation”, answered

How do you pronounce “compensation”?

“compensation” is pronounced /ˌkɑmpənˈseɪʃən/ (kahm-puhn-SAY-shuhn) in American English and /kɒmpənseɪʃən/ in British English — 4 syllables, stressed on “sat”. Build it as com-pen-SAT-ion, then run the third syllable a little longer than the rest and let the others reduce.

How many syllables does “compensation” have?

4: com · pen · sat · ion. The beat lands on the third, “sat”.

Is “compensation” said differently in British English?

Yes. American English says /ˌkɑmpənˈseɪʃən/ (kahm-puhn-SAY-shuhn); British English says /kɒmpənseɪʃən/. Both are correct — choose the accent you are learning and stay inside it.

What does “compensation” mean?

As a noun: something (such as money) given or received as payment or reparation (as for a service or loss or injury) For example: “The compensation package included six months of pay.” It carries 2 other senses as well — all of them said the same way.

Where is the stress in “compensation”?

Stress the third syllable: com-pen-SAT-ion. “sat” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllables fall away from it.

Practise this word

Now say “compensation” and see every sound

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