word stress

noun

: the manner in which stresses are distributed on the syllables of a word

called also word accent

Examples of word stress in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Another study looked at how parents’ singing and musicality at home correlated with the child’s word stress perception (meaning their ability to know which part of a word to stress). Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 13 July 2023 One interstitial word stresses the possibility of transformation rather than stasis: liminal. Melissa Mohr, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 June 2020 Nevertheless, Aldridge offered words stressing peace and the love of family on that December day. K.c. Johnson, chicagotribune.com, 29 Mar. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'word stress.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1874, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of word stress was in 1874

Dictionary Entries Near word stress

Cite this Entry

“Word stress.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/word%20stress. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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