3 syllables: Ran, cor, ous. Stress on Ran.
RANG-kur-uhs
/ˈræŋkɚəs/
Rancorous is pronounced RANG-kur-uhs (/ˈræŋkɚəs/). It has three syllables (Ran-cor-ous), with the stress on "Ran". Rancorous is an adjective describing bitter, long‑standing resentment or ill will, often expressed openly in harsh attitudes or hostility. It conveys a deeply ingrained, spiteful animus that festers over time, coloring interactions and judgments. The term suggests a corrosive, grudging attitude rather than fleeting anger.
adjectiveRancorous is an adjective describing bitter, long‑standing resentment or ill will, often expressed openly in harsh attitudes or hostility. It conveys a deeply ingrained, spiteful animus that festers over time, coloring interactions and judgments. The term suggests a corrosive, grudging attitude rather than fleeting anger.
- You might overemphasize the second syllable, turning /kə/ into /kəˈ/ or adding an audible vowel that disrupts the natural rhythm. Focus on a light, quick /k/ followed by a reduced /ə/. - Many speakers misplace or flatten the final /ɹəs/, making it sound like /rəs/ instead of /ərəs/ with a touch of rhoticity. Practice the end as a clipped, soft /rəs/ with minimal vowel. - Another pitfall is the initial /ræŋ/—avoid turning the vowel into a tense /æ/ or shifting to /eɪ/ or /ɑ/. Keep the /æ/ open and relaxed, then move directly into /ŋk/.
How to Pronounce Rancorous
"Her rancorous remarks at the meeting revealed years of unresolved grievances."
"The debate grew rancorous as both sides layered insults atop their arguments."
"Despite the settlement, the two families remained rancorous toward each other."
Pronounce as RAND-kuh-ruhs with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US ˈræŋkərəs, UK ˈrænkərəs, AU ˈræŋkərəs. Start with the /ræŋ/ rime, keep the /ɒ/ or /ə/ in the schwa region for the second syllable, and finish with /ərəs/. Tip: the second syllable is a quick, unstressed schwa; avoid overemphasizing it.
Common mistakes: overemphasizing the second syllable and mispronouncing /æ/ as /eɪ/. Also, many speakers insert a stop between /ŋ/ and /k/ (Rand-kin-kə-ruh s). Correction: keep /ræŋ/ as one syllable, then a light /k/ followed by a reduced vowel /ə/ in the second syllable, then /rəs/ quickly. Practice the sequence RAND + kuh + ruhs in a smooth chain.
US: strong /æ/ in /ræŋ/ with rhotic /ɹ/; UK: shorter /æ/ but non-rhotic after vowel, so /ˈræn.kə.rəs/ with weaker /ɹ/; AU: similar to US but with flatter intonation and sometimes stronger /ɹ/ as rhotic. Listen for the density of the first syllable and the quick, neutral second syllable, then /ərəs/ at the end.
Key challenges: the initial /ræŋ/ blends with the velar /ŋk/ cluster in quick speech, the /k/ adjacent to a weak /ə/ can cause a clipped feel, and the final /ərəs/ uses a rhotic schwa that many non-native speakers skip or misplace. Maintaining the strong primary stress on the first syllable while keeping the second and third syllables light is essential.
A distinctive feature is the rapid transition from /ŋk/ to /k/ into /ərəs/, avoiding a prolonged /ŋk/ blend. The first syllable carries the primary stress, but the /ə/ in the middle should be a quick, neutral vowel, not a full syllable. Mastery hinges on a clean, short /ər/ in the final syllable.
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US: Pronounce with rhotic /ɹ/ and a clear /æ/ in the first syllable; UK: keep a shorter /æ/ and less rhoticity, more centralized vowel in the final /ərəs/; AU: similar to US but often with a more even intonation and broader /æ/ in the first vowel. Use IPA references: US ˈræŋkərəs, UK ˈrænkərəs, AU ˈræŋkərəs. Focus on the quick schwa in the middle and the light, blurred final /ərəs/.
Rancorous comes from the French rancour, meaning rankle, bitterness, or resentment, which itself derives from the Latin rancor, meaning 'rankle' or 'grudge.' The path: Latin rancor (rankle, grudge) → Old French rancor/ rancour → Middle English via legal and literary usage to mean malice or resentment. The element -ous is a productive English suffix turning a noun or noun-adjective into an adjective meaning 'full of' or 'having the quality of.' First known use in English attests to the late 16th to 17th centuries, aligning with elevated literary prose that described states of mind and social hostility. Over time, rancor narrowed in common usage to denote sustained, bitter ill will that colors behavior and discourse, rather than a fleeting impulse. The word’s prestige-ish, somewhat formal register lends weight to critiques and analyses, especially in political or legal rhetoric where abouts of hostility are perceived as entrenched rather than temporary.
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Words that rhyme with "Rancorous"
-ar) sounds
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