Change the Stress, Change the Meaning:

35 Words that Change Meaning with Stress

This page shows the way in which the meaning of a word can change if you stress a different syllable. This change only hap-
pens with a few, specific words, many of which are listed here – it doesn’t apply to all words in the English language. Most of
the words are two syllables long – there are just a few examples with three syllables.

The examples fall into two categories:

1. Those which keep the same general meaning, but which change from noun to verb when the stress moves from the first
to the second syllable.
2. Those which change their meaning completely – most of them change from noun to verb, but a few change to an adjec-
tive.
1. CHANGE FROM NOUN TO VERB, SAME GENERAL MEANING

Rob is a crack cocaine ADD-ict.

AD D - ict
(Rob is a person who uses crack cocaine and cannot stop doing it)
addict
If you keep playing that game, you will get add-ICT-ed to it!
a dd- IC T
(you will become an addict)

The two friends were in CON-flict.

C O N- f lict
(didn’t agree about something)
conflict
Your two accounts of what happened con-FLICT.
co n - FLICT
(your stories don’t agree with each other)

He is taking part in a boxing CON-test.

C O N- test
(a fighting competition)
contest
I’m sorry, I have to con-TEST your figures.
co n -TEST
(I can’t agree with your figures)

There’s quite a CON-trast between their political views.

C O N- tra st
(a big difference)
contrast
I will compare and con-TRAST these two poems.
co n -TR AST
(show the differences between them)

He is a CON-vert to Buddhism.
C O N- vert
(he has changed his religion)
convert
I’m sorry, you will never con-VERT me.
co n -VERT
(you will never persuade me to change my beliefs/opinions)

1 • Change the Stress, Change the Meaning more free resources, lessons, and quizzes at

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 There has been a DE-crease in sales recently.
DE- crea se
(we have sold less than usual)
decrease
We need to de-CREASE the number of children in the class to make it more
de- C R EASE
effective.

Coffee is an IM-port from Brazil.

IM- p o rt
(coffee is brought here from Brazil)
import
im- PO RT We would like to im-PORT more coffee over the next few years.

There has been an IN-crease in accidents recently.

IN- crea se
(there have been more accidents)
increase
We need to in-CREASE our sales figures.
in - CR EASE
(sell more)

What she said felt like an IN-sult.

IN- su lt
(she said something bad)
insult
Please don’t in-SULT me.
in - SULT
(don’t say bad things to me)

Your homework is PER-fect.

PER- f ect
(it has no mistakes in it)

perfect We need to per-FECT our design before we can put this new product on
p er- FEC T the market.
(we need to improve it)

Do you have a PER-mit to drive this lorry?

PER- mit
(document giving permission)
permit
Will you per-MIT me to park my car in front of your house?
p er- MIT
(allow me)

2 • Change the Stress, Change the Meaning more free resources, lessons, and quizzes at

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 Niharika is a PER-vert.
PER- vert
(she has strange sexual preferences)

pervert The man was arrested on a charge of attempting to per-VERT the course of
p er-VERT justice.
(interfering with the proper workings of the legal process)

She gave me a nice PRES-ent on my birthday.

PRES- en t
(gift)
present
Allow me to pres-ENT my friend, David.
p re- SENT
(introduce)

They sell all kinds of PRO-duce at the market.

PRO - du ce
(fruit and vegetables)
produce
How did the magician manage to pro-DUCE a rabbit from his top hat?
p ro - D UC E
(bring out)

There was a political PRO-test going on in the street.

PRO - test
(demonstration)
protest
I had to pro-TEST about the dirty state of the kitchen.
p ro -TEST
(complain)

The actor was given a RE-call.

RE- ca ll
(called back, invited for a second audition)
recall
I can’t re-CALL the first time I rode a bicycle.
re- C ALL
(remember)

She always keeps a RE-cord of what she spends every month.

RE- co rd
(note)
record
It’s important to re-CORD how much you spend every month.
re- C O RD
(make a note of)

3 • Change the Stress, Change the Meaning more free resources, lessons, and quizzes at

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 The item in this box is a RE-ject.
RE- ject
(not good enough to sell)

reject We have decided to re-JECT the building proposal as it would have cost too
re- JEC T much money.
(turn down, say no to)

The police interviewed the SUS-pect for five hours, but then let him go.
SUS- p ect
(someone they thought might have committed a crime)

suspect I sus-PECT that tree will have to be cut down, before it falls and causes
su s- PECT some damage.
(have a feeling, think, imagine)

2. CHANGE FROM NOUN TO VERB OR NOUN TO ADJECTIVE, DIFFERENT MEANING:

Do you know Valen’s AD-dress?
AD - dress
(where she lives)
address
You do not have permission to ad-DRESS President Harkonnen!
a d- D R ESS
(to speak to him directly)

Dishonesty is a common ATT-rib-ute of politicians.

AT- trib- u te
(a trait/characteristic)
attribute
That quote is at-TRIB-u-ted to Winston Churchill.
a t-TR IB- u te
(considered to be first said/created by him)

We aren’t happy about your general CON-duct.

C O N- du ct
(the way you’re behaving)
conduct
I was asked to con-DUCT the orchestra at short notice.
co n - DUCT
(coordinate a musical performance by waving a baton)

I spend too much time at my computer CON-sole.

C O N- so le
(screen and controls)
console
She was so unhappy, I was unable to con-SOLE her.
co n - SO LE
(make her feel better)

4 • Change the Stress, Change the Meaning more free resources, lessons, and quizzes at

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 The CON-tent of your essay is fine, but you need to rearrange the struc-
C O N- ten t ture.
(what it contains)
content
co n -TENT She was sitting reading a book, looking very con-TENT.
( a dj. ) (relaxed, peaceful)

Do you think firm A is more successful than firm B? I think the CON-verse
C O N- verse is true.
(opposite)
converse
He can con-VERSE in three different languages.
co n -VERSE
(have conversations)

The DE-fault settings of that TV are bad, but you can configure it differ-
DE- f a u lt ently.
(the settings it comes with it when you get it)
default
Jon de-FAULT-ed on his loan payments.
de- FAULT
(he did not make the required payments)

The army marched through the DES-ert.

DES- ert
(eg Sahara)
desert
I wouldn’t advise you to des-ERT the army, as it will get you into trouble.
des- ERT
(leave without permission)

The EN-trance to the building was locked.

EN- tra n ce
(way in)
entrance
Are you trying to en-TRANCE me?
en -TR ANC E
(hypnotise me, put me into a trance)

He’s always talking about some EX-ploit from his war years.
EX- p lo it
(exciting experience, adventure)

exploit Some companies ex-PLOIT their staff by expecting them to work overtime
ex- PLO IT for no extra pay.
(take advantage of)

5 • Change the Stress, Change the Meaning more free resources, lessons, and quizzes at

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 She read me an EX-tract from her new novel.
EX- tra ct
(short section)
extract
The dentist says he needs to ex-TRACT one of my teeth.
ex-TRACT
(remove, pull out, take out)

After his accident he was an IN-val-id for nearly a year, but he’s ok again
IN- va l- id now.
(was disabled, had mobility problems)
invalid
i n -VA L- i d I’m sorry, your passport is in-VAL-id, as it expired two months ago.
( a dj. ) (can’t be used)

What is that OB-ject over there?

O B- ject
(thing)
object
Would anyone ob-JECT if I opened a window?
o b- JEC T
(complain)

This PRO-ject should be completed next month.

PRO - ject
(piece of work)
project
We could pro-JECT the film onto that blank wall.
p ro - JECT
(show, display)

We have our REF-use collected on a Thursday.

REF- u se
(rubbish, garbage)
refuse
Chocolate cake? How can I re-FUSE!
re- FUSE
(say no)

What is the SUB-ject of today’s lesson?

SUB- ject
(topic)
subject
Oh dear, our teacher is going to sub-JECT us to another test.
su b- JECT
(impose on us, make us endure)

6 • Change the Stress, Change the Meaning more free resources, lessons, and quizzes at

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by Gill

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