English pronunciation · Words Starting with A
Alter Pronunciation
Alter is pronounced AWL-ter, IPA /ˈɔltɝ/.
AWL-ter
US /ˈɔltɝ/ · UK /ˈɒltə/
Syllables: AWL · ter (2 syllables, stress on syllable 1)
verb: To change something, usually in a small or partial way.
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Alter in a Sentence
- Nothing you say now will alter the outcome.
- She had the sleeves altered before the wedding.
- Altering the budget means reopening the whole debate.
Common Mispronunciations of Alter
Not AL-ter
The al here is the aw of fall, not the flat a of pal. Salt, halt and malt treat the same letters the same way.
Not awl-TER
Both beats exist but only the first has any force, and the ending is a swallowed ter with no full e in it.
Tip: Nothing in speech separates alter from altar. Writers keep them apart with the e and the a, and nobody else can.
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