Unstressed vowel sounds

Editorially verified for the Aug 28, 2026

8 Down

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A phonetics diagram showing the schwa symbol ə

Clue explained

SCHWAS are the unstressed, neutral vowel sounds represented by the symbol ə, as the second vowel sound in “sofa.” The plural form matches “sounds.”

Clue type:
Definition

WaPo Crossword

This clue's Friday, August 28, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Thurman of "Red, White & Royal Blue"
  2. 4Most unexpected
  3. 10Axe handle
  4. 14Bath rug
  5. 15Subtlety
  6. 16Important stretches
  7. 17Go where one shouldn't
  8. 18Be time-consuming?
  9. 20AirDrop tablet
  10. 22Female pig
  11. 23__ cuisine
  12. 24Drummer in the Electric Mayhem
  13. 26"Lessons in Chemistry" actress __ Naomi King
  14. 28TV writers __ and Marty Krofft
  15. 29Instruction from a lazy track coach?
  16. 33Russian news acronym until 2014
  17. 34Minute
  18. 35Pseudonym letters
  19. 36Lunch spot
  20. 37"A Complete Unknown" subject
  21. 39Video file format
  22. 43Corp. leader
  23. 45Feel icky
  24. 46Washed-out
  25. 47"42nd Street," e.g.?
  26. 51Ceiling spinner
  27. 52__ and outs
  28. 53Show of affection
  29. 54That is, in Latin
  30. 56Chance, quaintly
  31. 59Dissenting body
  32. 60Create a state of anarchy?
  33. 63Lend a hand
  34. 65Toy brand with Creator 3-in-1 sets
  35. 66Title for Marie Curie
  36. 67Type of A/V connector
  37. 68Put pen to paper
  38. 69So-so grade, or an apt title for this puzzle
  39. 70Data breach fig.

Down

  1. 1Official who works close to home?
  2. 2Stew
  3. 3Unexpected
  4. 4At some point
  5. 5"Dance the Night" singer Lipa
  6. 6Who __: New Orleans Saints fans
  7. 7Opposite of exo-
  8. 8Unstressed vowel sounds
  9. 9Top pick?
  10. 10Goddess of death played by Cate Blanchett
  11. 11Stimulate
  12. 12"In all honesty ... "
  13. 13Clucked in disapproval
  14. 19Hopscotch player's supply
  15. 21"Sweet land of liberty," in song
  16. 24Very dry
  17. 25Dirt
  18. 27Patrick's "Star Trek: Picard" role
  19. 30Short turnaround?
  20. 31Pass along
  21. 32Many a "What We Do in the Shadows" character
  22. 38Objective
  23. 40Indy 500 leaders
  24. 41Rubber bands
  25. 42Salon array
  26. 44Novelist Wharton
  27. 47"SNL" Emmy winner Gilda
  28. 48Jumpy
  29. 49Meditation retreat
  30. 50Mouths off to
  31. 51Area of study
  32. 55Stash securely
  33. 57Bavaria-based automaker
  34. 58Map out
  35. 61Diplomatic HQ
  36. 62Bird in the bush
  37. 64Karate level

The answer to “Unstressed vowel sounds” in the The Washington Post crossword is SCHWAS — a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on August 28, 2026, a Friday puzzle, at 8-Down. Below you'll find why that fill fits, every other answer we've recorded for this clue, and links into the puzzle it came from.

“Unstressed vowel sounds” answer

SCHWAS (6 letters)

Reveal the solution one letter at a time with the tiles above if you'd rather nudge yourself toward it than see the whole word at once. Just want it outright? The answer is SCHWAS.

What does SCHWAS mean?

Reading the plain dictionary sense of SCHWAS is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.

(noun)

  • the unstressed central vowel (as in a moment ago), represented by the symbol /ə/ in the International Phonetic Alphabet

When else has “Unstressed vowel sounds” appeared?

The Washington Post reuses clues across dates, sometimes with a different answer depending on the grid. Here's where this exact clue has shown up, and what the answer was each time — handy when you're checking whether today's fill is the only one.

August 28, 2026 (most recent) → SCHWAS. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Unstressed vowel sounds”?

The answer is SCHWAS, a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on August 28, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Unstressed vowel sounds”?

6 letters: SCHWAS.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on August 28, 2026 (a Friday puzzle), at 8-Down.

Can “Unstressed vowel sounds” have a different answer?

Yes — The Washington Post sometimes reuses a clue with a different solution to fit the grid. The answers we've recorded for each date it appeared are listed above when available.

Where can I find the rest of this day's WaPo Crossword answers?

The full grid for August 28, 2026 is on the WaPo Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

The Washington Post Crossword is published by The Washington Post; WordHint is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher.

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