How to Pronounce Avolition

Avolition is pronounced "ay-voh-LIH-shun." The stress falls on the third syllable, which is "LIH." Think of it like saying "a" (like the letter A), then "voh" (rhymes with "go"), then "LIH" (like the beginning of the word "list"), and finally "shun" (like the ending of "action").

Avolition breaks into four syllables: a-vo-LI-tion. When you say it out loud, pause slightly between each syllable to hear them clearly: "ay" / "voh" / "lih" / "shun."

The third syllable "LIH" gets the stress, so you say it louder and longer than the others. A common mistake is putting the stress on the second syllable ("voh") or the last syllable ("shun"), but the correct emphasis is definitely on "LIH."

Avolition comes from Latin roots: "a-" means "without" and "volitio" means "the act of willing" or "choice." Put together, avolition literally means "without will" or "without the power to choose to act."

Avolition means a serious lack of motivation to start or finish activities—like a shutdown of the drive to do things. It's more than just laziness; it's when someone struggles to get going on everyday tasks.

Words like "volition" (the power to make choices), "volitional" (related to making choices), and "involuntary" (not done by choice) all share the same Latin root "volitio." These words all relate to will, choice, and intention.

You might say: "The doctor noted that the patient showed signs of avolition, making it hard for him to begin his daily routine." This sentence uses the word correctly to describe a lack of motivation.

People sometimes say "uh-voh-LIH-shun" (putting stress on "uh" at the start) or "ay-voh-lih-SHUN" (stressing the last syllable), but the correct way is "ay-voh-LIH-shun" with the stress on the middle-third syllable.