Pronunciation

How to pronounce “inconsistent

“inconsistent” is pronounced /ˌɪnkənˈsɪstənt/ (in-kuhn-SI-stuhnt) in American English and /ɪŋkənsɪstənt/ in British English — 4 syllables, stressed on “sis”.
The sound

Say “inconsistent” in 4 beats

Say it like this

inconsistent

/ˌɪnkənˈsɪstənt/

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

4 beats
  1. inɪn
  2. conkən
  3. sisstress
  4. tentstənt
IPA (American)
/ˌɪnkənˈsɪstənt/
IPA (British)
/ɪŋkənsɪstənt/
Respelling
in-kuhn-SI-stuhnt
Syllables
4 — in-con-SIS-tent
Stress
Stress the third syllable: in-con-SIS-tent. “sis” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllables fall away from it.
Part of speech
adjective
Difficulty
Pro — the sounds are ordinary, the rhythm is where it slips
Accents

American and British are not the same here

American

/ˌɪnkənˈsɪstənt/

British

/ɪŋkənsɪstənt/

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

Meaning

What “inconsistent” means

  1. adjective

    displaying a lack of consistency

    inconsistent statements cannot both be true at the same time

  2. adjective

    not capable of being made consistent or harmonious

    inconsistent accounts

  3. adjective

    not in agreement

Say it in a sentence

His timekeeping is inconsistent, though his work is excellent.
Sound by sound

The sounds inside this word

6 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

inconsistent”, answered

How do you pronounce “inconsistent”?

“inconsistent” is pronounced /ˌɪnkənˈsɪstənt/ (in-kuhn-SI-stuhnt) in American English and /ɪŋkənsɪstənt/ in British English — 4 syllables, stressed on “sis”. Build it as in-con-SIS-tent, then run the third syllable a little longer than the rest and let the others reduce.

How many syllables does “inconsistent” have?

4: in · con · sis · tent. The beat lands on the third, “sis”.

Is “inconsistent” said differently in British English?

Yes. American English says /ˌɪnkənˈsɪstənt/ (in-kuhn-SI-stuhnt); British English says /ɪŋkənsɪstənt/. Both are correct — choose the accent you are learning and stay inside it.

What does “inconsistent” mean?

As an adjective: displaying a lack of consistency For example: “inconsistent statements cannot both be true at the same time” It carries 2 other senses as well — all of them said the same way.

Where is the stress in “inconsistent”?

Stress the third syllable: in-con-SIS-tent. “sis” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllables fall away from it.

Practise this word

Now say “inconsistent” and see every sound

Record it once and sayit lines your audio up against the target sound by sound — what landed, what slipped, and what it sounded like instead.