enunciate

If someone asks you to "enunciate," they want you to speak more clearly. Think of a public speaker or actor: they need to say each word clearly so everyone can understand them. It means making your pronunciation clear and distinct, not mumbling or slurring your words. A good singer also needs to make the lyrics easy to hear. If you have trouble with certain sounds, it may be harder to do this.

It is not just about volume. It is about shaping each word fully so the listener can catch every sound and syllable. Imagine teaching someone a difficult word: you would probably say it slowly and carefully. Actors in Shakespeare plays often have to do this so the audience can follow the meaning.

To enunciate means to speak clearly and distinctly, giving each word and syllable a clear shape. It is not the same as speaking loudly. Someone can have a strong voice and still be hard to understand if they run words together. When you do this well, your speech sounds clean, careful, and easy to follow.

This matters in acting, public speaking, teaching, broadcasting, and singing. A stage actor has to make every word clear even in a large theater. A teacher may slow down and do this when explaining a new term. A news anchor does it so listeners do not miss important details. In everyday life, people may ask you to do this if you are speaking too fast or unclearly.

The word comes from Latin enuntiare, which meant "to declare" or "to announce." That older sense helps explain why the word can sometimes also mean to state an idea clearly, especially in formal writing or speech.

Even so, the most common modern use is about pronunciation. If someone tells you to enunciate, they usually mean: open your mouth more, slow down a little, and make each word easier to hear. In short, it is the skill of speaking so clearly that the listener does not have to guess what you said.