The phrase "am arrears" is often misspelled because of its irregular phonetic structure. The correct pronunciation is /əm əˈrɪərz/. The first syllable is the weak vowel schwa sound /ə/, followed by the consonant /m/. The second syllable is composed of the short vowel /ɪ/ and the consonant cluster /rz/, which is pronounced as one sound. The word "arrears" is used to describe overdue payments, and being "in arrears" means having outstanding debts.