Annunciate vs Enunciate? What’s the difference?

Vocabulary / By

“Annunciate” and “enunciate” sound almost identical when you say the words out loud, but what is the difference between the two words?

While annunciate comes from an old French root word which means to announce, enunciate is a word that means to articulate or clearly pronounce the words that you are speaking.

Both annunciate and enunciate are words that are easy to confuse, but keep reading to find out the difference between them.

What Does it Mean to Annunciate?

When you annunciate, you will usually find that you are making an announcement of some kind. Think about the last time you saw someone get the attention of a crowded room and announce something. They usually speak louder and project their voice so that people in the back of the room can hear them even without a microphone. This projection of the voice is called annunciation.

Using “annunciate” in a sentence

The word annunciate is a verb that tells you how somehow someone is speaking.

Example:

Robin remembered to annunciate as she read her poem aloud to the crowd.
Kearn was shy, so her vocal coach focused on her annunciation to teach her to learn to project her voice.

Notice that in each example, the subjects are focusing on making their voices louder as if they are making an announcement.

What Does it Mean to Enunciate?

When you enunciate, you focus less on making your voice louder and more on making the words you speak clearer and more concise.

If you are someone who slurs your words or speaks very quickly, you may have heard someone tell you to enunciate your words more by improving your pronunciation.

Using “Enunciate” in a Sentence

Like annunciate, enunciate is a verb or action word that people use to show the high level of how they speak clearly.

Example:

James Earl Jones always enunciates his words, so everyone can understand him when he talks.
The child went to speech therapy for three years to learn to enunciate his words.

Notice that in each example, the subject either is already a clear speaker or is working to become one.

Final Thoughts

Annunciate and enunciate may sound like the same word to some and they both have something to do with the way that you speak, but they are quite different in the way you execute the word.

While “annunciate” focuses on the volume and tone of your voice, “enunciate” focuses on your precise pronunciation of the words.

Conor
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