How to Pronounce “independence”

American (US)

/ˌɪn.dɪˈpɛn.dəns/

British (UK)

/ˌɪn.dɪˈpɛn.dəns/

noun — The quality or state of being independent; lack of dependence; the state of not being reliant on, or controlled by, others.

Example: In 1947, India gained independence from the British Empire.

The final e is silent. The transcription /ˌɪn.dɪˈpɛn.dəns/ ends on a consonant sound, so the written e at the end of “independence” is not pronounced.

Where the stress falls. “independence” has 4 syllables, and the transcription /ˌɪn.dɪˈpɛn.dəns/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the third one — so the third syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.

An unstressed vowel reduces to schwa. /ˌɪn.dɪˈpɛn.dəns/ contains a schwa /ə/ — the short, neutral “uh” that English unstressed syllables collapse into. Saying /ə/ there, instead of the vowel the spelling suggests, is most of what makes the word sound native.

What does "independence" mean?

independence (noun): The quality or state of being independent; lack of dependence; the state of not being reliant on, or controlled by, others. For example — In 1947, India gained independence from the British Empire.

How do you pronounce "independence" in American vs British English?

Both accents use the same sequence of phonemes for "independence", /ˌɪn.dɪˈpɛn.dəns/, so the difference you hear is in how the vowels are coloured rather than in which sounds are used. Play both on this page to compare.

What is the IPA transcription of "independence"?

/ˌɪn.dɪˈpɛn.dəns/ in American English, /ˌɪn.dɪˈpɛn.dəns/ in British English.

Which syllable is stressed in "independence"?

“independence” has 4 syllables, and the transcription /ˌɪn.dɪˈpɛn.dəns/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the third one — so the third syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.