English pronunciation · Words Starting with A
Acquired Pronunciation
Acquired is pronounced uh-KWY-erd, IPA /əˈkwaɪɝd/.
uh-KWY-erd
US /əˈkwaɪɝd/ · UK /əˈkwaɪəd/
Syllables: uh · KWY · erd (3 syllables, stress on syllable 2)
verb (past tense and past participle of acquire) and adjective: Got or obtained, and also used of a taste or a skill that develops rather than coming naturally.
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Acquired in a Sentence
- Olives are an acquired taste.
- The company was acquired by a rival last spring.
- She acquired her French from a year in Lyon.
Common Mispronunciations of Acquired
Not uh-KWY-er-ed
The -ed brings no beat of its own. After an r sound it fastens on as a bare d and the word stays as long as acquire.
Not uh-KWEE-erd
The middle holds the long y of my, not the ee of me.
Tip: An acquired taste means one you had to learn to like, which is the sense most people search for.
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