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Word Analysis

westward-looking

Complete linguistic analysis including syllable division, pronunciation, morphology, and definitions.

4 syllables
16 characters
English (US)
Enriched
4syllables

westwardlooking

Linguistic Analysis

Syllables

west-ward-look-ing

Pronunciation

/ˈwɛst.wərd ˈlʊ.kɪŋ/

Stress

0101

Morphemes

west + ward + looking

The word 'westward-looking' is divided into four syllables: west-ward-look-ing. It's a compound adjective with a primary stress on 'ward' and 'look'. Syllabification follows standard English rules of vowel-consonant division and suffix separation. The hyphenated structure doesn't significantly alter the phonetic realization.

Definitions

adjective
  1. 1

    Facing or oriented towards the west; having a perspective or orientation that is progressive or forward-thinking (metaphorically).

    The westward-looking policies of the new administration were welcomed by many.

    She had a westward-looking view of the future.

Stress pattern

Primary stress falls on the second syllable ('ward') of 'westward' and the first syllable ('look') of 'looking'.

Syllables

4
west/wɛst/
ward/wərd/
look/lʊk/
ing/ɪŋ/

west Closed syllable, vowel followed by consonant cluster.. ward Closed syllable, vowel followed by consonant cluster.. look Closed syllable, vowel followed by consonant cluster.. ing Coda syllable, consonant cluster following a vowel.

Vowel-Consonant (VC) Division

Syllables are often divided after a vowel followed by a consonant.

Consonant Cluster Division

When a consonant cluster occurs between vowels, the cluster is typically maintained within a syllable.

Suffix Division

Suffixes are generally separated into their own syllables.

  • The hyphenated nature of the word could lead to some speakers perceiving a stronger break between 'westward' and 'looking', but phonetically, it's treated as a single prosodic unit.
  • Regional variations in vowel pronunciation might subtly affect syllable perception.
Analysis by gemma3:27b · 6/10/2025
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